Chhendipada: Getting the status of a ‘Revenue Village’ has been of no help to the residents of Badamula of Katada panchayat under this block in Angul district. The lone road connecting Badamula village to the state highway is still a deathtrap for the villagers.
The muddy stretch of land that is called ‘road’ is full of craters, potholes and is uneven. It passes through from Katada to Dahimala via Pitachari and Badamula. It completely inaccessible and accidents frequently occur causing serious injuries and at time even death to those who travel on it.
Students, people who drive two-wheelers are the one at risk the most. Also the inhabitants of Badamula, Pitachari, Dahimala, Bakala and Katada are the worst affected by the road conditions.
Sources said that from the Mukhya Mantri Sadak Yojana (MMSY) an amount has been sanctioned to repair the road. However, the Forest Department has not given the necessary clearance for work to start. Hence, work for restoring the condition of the road has been stalled.
Badamula village president Sarat Chandra Sahu, sarpanch Sanjay Kumar Pradhan and secretary Pradeep Kumar Dehury have urged the district administration to take steps and expedite the matter.
When contacted, Jarpada range officer Hrudananda Naik said three kilometres of the Katada-Badamula road falls under the Forest Department. So a clearance from Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India is required to carry out the work. In this regard, higher officials have been informed, added Naik.
Block development officer (BDO) Romanchal Khamari said necessary steps would be taken for sanctioning money for construction and repair of the portion of the road which falls under the panchayat samiti.
PNN