DHENKANAL: Crossing Sapua river during monsoon is an uphill task for residents of eight villages.
The task is more challenging for children who are carried on shoulders by their parents to reach schools at Sana Nadab and Ghatipiri. The villagers have been demanding a bridge over the river but the district administration remains oblivious to their plight.
The months from June to September are the worst as the river swells during the period. Parents of school and college students of the villages allege that their wards are forced to skip classes during rainy season. They said recently a man, suffering from illness, died as he could not be taken to hospital on time.
Dhenkanal Collector Bhumesh Chandra Behera said the State Government has sanctioned `5 crore for construction of a bridge over the river under Biju Setu Yojana and tender process for the same has been completed. He said work on the structure will be initiated by the Rural Development department after monsoon. Executive Engineer of Rural Development department Pramod Kumar Dhar said funds for constructing a 50-metre bridge over the river have been sanctioned. He said the bridge would be built near Badanadab village.