KORAPUT: Exposing the poor access in remote pockets of Koraput district, a pregnant woman in labour had to be carried three kilometre on a stretcher by family and relatives to reach an ambulance that could not reach her village due to absence of motorable road.
The woman, Pushpanjali Khara (35), was eventually shifted to the Dasmantpur community health centre.
The incident occurred in Haldisil, a remote village under Duarsuni panchayat, home to 80 families from tribal and marginalised communities.
On Saturday morning, as Pushpanjali began experiencing severe labour pains, her husband, Lazar Khara, immediately alerted Muni Khara, the village accredited social health activist (Asha) who then contacted the 108 ambulance service.
However, due to the poor state of the road, the ambulance was unable to reach Haldisil and had to wait at Angar Guda junction, located three kilometres away. Despite facing stormy winds, Pushpanjali was carried on a stretcher by her husband and relatives through challenging terrain to the waiting ambulance.
Upon reaching the ambulance, Pushpanjali was taken to the hospital, where she is currently receiving treatment. Her husband, Lazar Khara, said such incidents have become alarmingly common due to inadequate road facilities in their village. Since 2016, there have been 35 such cases reported in Koraput district, with 12 occurring in Dasmantpur block alone over the past six years. Despite numerous appeals to the district administration and political leaders, no effective measures have been implemented to address the critical infrastructure needs of these remote areas, the residents alleged.
Kartik Muduli, a villager expressed his discontent, stating that the lack of a reliable road network has left the community of approximately 400 people isolated and vulnerable during medical emergencies. “Despite repeated calls for better road facilities in the Palli Sabha and Gram Sabha, our requests are consistently ignored due to the apathy of local leaders and officials,” Muduli said.
Villagers have appealed to the district collector to provide a permanent solution to improve road access so that people can tread safely.