Keonjhar: The absence of a bridge over Karo river has turned daily commuting for school students of Champua Basti under Barbil municipality and Dumrita and Shankhojhar villages of Bolani gram panchayat in Joda block into a risky ordeal. Residents of these areas directly affected by mining continue to remain deprived of basic amenities.Sources said students enrolled in schools at Balagoda want to use the shortest route from their villages but the lack of a permanent bridge forces them to cross Karo river using a broken electricity pole placed across the water. Locals said villagers and students regularly risk their lives while using the makeshift crossing.“This itself reflects the state of development in mining-affected areas. Children are forced to cross the river on narrow, unstable electric poles, putting their lives in constant danger,” alleged resident Ramesh Munda. Hiranya Barik and Kailas Mohakud echoed the allegations. They claimed that the administration had chosen to overlook repeated incidents of people slipping, falling into the river and sustaining injuries, and failed to make permanent arrangements.The problem worsens during monsoon, when the river swells up and the temporary crossing gets submerged. “Students and villagers are then forced to take long detours via main roads, which is both physically exhausting and financially burdensome,” said S Nanda, a social activist from Bolani.He added that while the govt earns crores through mining and the district mineral fund accumulates substantial resources, the lack of basic infrastructure in the most affected areas raises serious questions about utilisation of District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds.Villagers said timely and proper use of DMF funds could have easily facilitated construction of a permanent bridge at the site. They have demanded immediate intervention by the administration to ensure safe connectivity.Umakant Parida, sub-collector of Champua, said, “I will look into the issue and take steps to address the problem.”
