RANCHI: In yet another example of poor rural infrastructure in Jharkhand, villagers were forced to carry a pregnant woman in labour on their shoulders across the swollen Karkari River as Savmarangbeda village in Arki block lacks an all-weather road and a bridge.
After crossing the river, she was taken to the Arki Community Health Centre, where she safely delivered her baby.
According to reports, Somvari Devi went into labour as the Karkari River was in spate following heavy rainfall, completely cutting off the village's access to the main road and preventing an ambulance from reaching the area. Faced with the situation, her husband, Manguchhata Nag, and other villagers carried her on their shoulders and crossed the river on foot despite the strong current to reach the hospital.
At the Arki Community Health Centre, she safely delivered her baby under the supervision of the doctors on duty. Doctors said both the mother and the newborn were healthy and in a stable condition.
According to villagers, the absence of a bridge over the Karkari River cuts off the village from the outside world every monsoon. They said patients, pregnant women, elderly residents and schoolchildren face great hardship.
“Often, the lack of timely medical treatment leads to critical situations. Pregnant women are taken to hospital after crossing river in Khunti,” said a villager requesting anonymity.
Despite repeated requests to the administration and elected representatives to construct a bridge over the Karkari River and build a paved road to the village, no concrete action has been taken so far, the villager added.
Mukhiya Mansay Munda also said repeated appeals had been made to everyone from the local MLA to the district administration, but no solution had been found.
“Until a bridge is built over the Karkari River and a road is constructed to the village, the residents will continue to risk their lives in this manner every monsoon season,” said the Mukhiya.
