Chhendipada: Natives of Lunamati village of Nuagaon panchayat under Chhendipada block in Angul district are contemplating leaving their village for good.
Lunamati is encircled by two rivers – Nuhurani and Baisinalia – throughout the year. But the villagers have no love for them, particularly for Nuhurani which they deem to be a ‘curse’ for their village.
The village is largely inhabited by tribal people. As their demand for at least a wooden bridge is yet to be fulfilled, to avail PDS rice, health and education facilities they have to trek on a hilly path to reach the other side of the river. In rainy season, their sojourn to get supplies gets all the more difficult.
The pregnant women and children are the worst affected. For vaccination, they have to turn up at the Anganwadi centre which is on the other side of the river.
As many as 30 students have stopped going to school owing to flood waters.
As if these problems were not enough, the river is gobbling up the entire village.
“We have been demanding a bridge on the river. Even a wooden bridge will suffice for us. But nothing has been done in this regard. As a result many families have already left the village for somewhere else,” fumed villagers said.
Earlier there used to be 50 families residing in the village. As of now the number of families has reduced to mere 30.
However, efforts are on to lay a wooden bridge across the river, it was learnt.
Nuagaon sarpanch Jhunubala Nayak said for getting a bridge constructed, a minimum of Rs 50 lakh is required. But the administration has sanctioned Rs 10 lakh. So the construction work is getting delayed.
When contacted, block development officer Sunil Kumar Kerketa said Rs 10 lakh has been sanctioned from the District Mineral Fund. But the sanctioned amount is not enough for the bridge construction. The problem has been intimated to the district administration. Construction work will begin only when the administration releases more money.
Chinmayee Das, a social worker, said efforts are on to lay a wooden bridge across the river.
“We are yet to know what would be our fate. We will be forced to leave the village if the administration does not take immediate steps to save the village by laying up stone packs along the riverbank and construct a bridge,” the villagers threatened.
PNN