BERHAMPUR: People of Gadanga in Patrapur block have set an example for others by constructing a road to the village.
Gadanga is one of 30 villages in Ankuli panchayat of the block situated on hilltop. In the absence of road, the villagers have not only been deprived of health care facilities but also welfare schemes of the government. The only path to the hilltop was damaged in cyclone Titli.
The authorities concerned were apprised of the plight of the villages but the people were given only assurances.
This prompted the villagers of Gadanga to take matters into their own hands and construct a road to their village.
The village, having a population of around 280 persons, has four streets.
Its people depend on Tadakasahi village at the foothill, a distance of 18 km, for their daily needs.
While there is a road on 14 km stretch between Tadaksahi and Dhanabada, the rest 4 km has none.
The villagers apprised the people of nearby areas of their intention to construct the road on their own.
However, as they did not receive positive response, around 40 people got to work and repaired the damaged 4 km patch. They removed big boulders and placed them at the breached spots.
They said the potholes on the stretch have been filled and at least now people can walk to the village.