BERHAMPUR: After all their pleas to the administration for repair of roads failed to elicit any response, the villagers of Samantarapur near Berhampur planted paddy saplings on their village road in protest.
The village is inhabited by more than 600 persons but all the routes to Samantarapur are unapproachable with the roads getting submerged under rain water due to lack of drainage facility.
Adding to the woes of locals, contamination of underground water with sewer water has led to outbreak of water-borne diseases. Around 10 persons, including two children, have reportedly been affected by diarrhoea and the villagers had to call 108 ambulance to shift them to hospital. Unfortunately, the ambulance got stuck in the muddy road forcing the relatives of patients to empty the vehicle, push it to safety and then carry the affected to the vehicle parked on the main road.
After the departure of ambulance to Patrapur Hospital, locals planted saplings protesting the neglect by the local administration.