PAIKMAL (BARGARH) : With the district administration remaining indifferent to their woes, aggrieved villagers of Nilathar under Kansda gram panchayat in the block have decided to construct 100 feet road from their own resources across river Ong to facilitate connectivity.
They have to traverse 12 km from Paikmal to reach Bartunda and walk through dusty farm lands before reaching river Ong. Across the river is Nilathar village which remains cut-off during the monsoon. Locals have to depend on country boats to reach the village during rainy season.
Although they requested the local administration to construct a road over the river, the latter did not pay heed. Harassed, the villagers decided to take matters into their own hands and 200 villagers recently laid 100-metre concrete road over the river. Funds for the project were generated from among themselves.
After collecting locally available boulders, reinforced concrete hume pipes for flow of water and laying of morrum, they constructed the road using the little engineering knowledge they possessed. Even tractors and other equipment used in laying of the road were provided free by the owners residing in the village.