VISAKHAPATNAM: The government apathy hit a new low in the ASR district after the final rites of a 10-year-old girl at Tummidiput village couldn’t be performed for three days. With time running out, the villagers were forced to carry the body of the minor girl on a makeshift stretcher in waist waist-deep water of an overflowing rivulet. Reason: Lack of proper roads connecting the village to Lakshmipuram panchayat in Munchibgput mandal in the district.
The tribal villagers are of the opinion that they have been facing difficulty in shifting patients and pregnant women to hospitals, particularly during the rainy season. According to the sources, there are 550 PTTG tribals living in the village.
A villager said that the deceased girl, Bhanu, died on September 11 and kept the body in the house as the family members could not cross the rivulet carrying the body. After the flood water receded to some extent, the villagers took the body to perform last rites on Wednesday, he added. He further said that the local MLA had promised to build a bridge during the campaign, however, no action was taken.
Recently, the villagers brought the situation to the notice of district collector and Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) PO several times, but in vain, he said. It is said that `1 crore was sanctioned for the bridge but the construction never saw the light of the day. Lakshmipuram panchayat sarpanch Korra Trinadh on Wednesday demanded the government to construct a bridge connecting Tummidiput. Following heavy rain for the last four days, the rivulet was in full spate. The sarpanch said that it was difficult for the schoolchildren to cross the rivulet.