Bhawanipatna: People living in areas cut off by the Indravati reservoir in the T Rampur block of Kalahandi district are forced to risk their lives on country boats as there is no bridge connecting Kenduguda Ghat to Gopinathpur.
The only hope of people here are country boats in which they travel to villages in the cut-off areas of the reservoir although the government has sanctioned funds for a bridge.
Most villagers have remained cut-off for 20 years after the reservoir was constructed in 1999. Many of them have not got houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana as they do not have four decimal land of their own.
The fund allotted for the bridge has not been used as tenders have not been finalised and was cancelled four times. This has pushed the bridge into uncertainty and people continue to risk their lives.
Around 16,000 people living in the 20 villages of three panchayats here lead a difficult life as their villages are surrounded by water throughout the year.
Residents of Gopianathpur, Maligaon, Adri and other villages in the three panchayats have to travel dangerously in country boats to purchase their PDS rice and for other needs.
Sources said construction of the bridge connecting Mahulpatna and Kenduguda Ghat to Gopinathpur was approved in 2017 and Rs 38.42 crore was sanctioned.
Tenders were invited for the fourth time (bid no-52/2017-18) by the Works Department (letter No: 785, dated 17.01.2018). The tender was opened May 8, but was cancelled by the government as only one contractor had bid.
Later, human rights activist Dillip Das filed a PIL in the Orissa High Court and sought a report on the issue from the government. As construction of the bridge got delayed its outlay has now hit Rs 54 crore.
The Pashcim Odisha Vikash Parishad had sanctioned Rs 60 lakh for another bridge on the reservoir. The cost of this has now touched Rs 54 crore.
PNN