Rupsa: Even 70 years after Independence, Baigandiha, a village under Basta block of Balasore, is so backward that whenever a person falls sick or a pregnant woman needs medical aid, they are carried on a cot to hospital.
The bane of the village is it does not have a proper road. That’s not the only problem; it is lagging behind every development factor. “Fire vehicles and ambulances are unable to enter the village in the absence of a road. People have to suffer a lot in the absence of basic facilities like communication, education and healthcare,” lamented locals. In the rainy season their problems compound manifold.
The village in Barunagadia panchayat is 2 km away from Baghabazar Chhak on the NH-60. “The road from Gudishal Chhak to Darada is in bad shape. The road is filled with mud. Even walking on it is a difficult proposition. In an emergency situation, people have to carefully negotiate their path,” a villager said.
The government has not set up a school in the village while the Anganwadi centre has no building.
“In the rainy season, we are marooned by floodwaters from Subarnarekha for days together. We have been facing such problem for the last 25 years. But neither the people’s representatives nor the administration have ever paid heed to our problem,” rued villagers Alok Mahal, Barendra Giri, Pitamabar Behera, ward member Mamata Giri, Lilima Mahal and Sunamani Mahal.
Village head Banchhnidhi Lenka said: “We lay murram on the road by spending money from the village fund. Nobody pays heed to our plight. During election time, leaders come with loads of promises about village development, which are never realised.”
Sakuntala Behera, another villager, pointed out that Nirupama Behera, a pregnant woman of the village, was carried on a cot to hospital in August when she had labour pain.
Another pregnant woman, Binapani Mandal, was taken on a bike with much difficulty to the main road and later to the hospital. After delivery, she had to walk back home due to bad shape of the road, Sakuntala said. Three more pregnant women are in the village, but how they will be taken care of is a matter of concern, she added.
She also pointed out another problem: As there is no permanent road to the village, people of other villages are averse to consider marriage proposals from the village youths.
Sarpanch Lipika Raul said that the village road was included in the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna three years ago. “We have drawn the attention of the MP and the MLA to our plight and for immediate action on laying a good road to the village,” the sarpanch said, adding that other problems of the village will be sorted out in a phased manner. PNN