KARWAR: Here is a man with a mission. Fifty-five-year-old Parameshwar Gouda from Kumta has been filling potholes between Herwatta and Kujalli villages (a distance of 5 km) for the last four years without taking help from anyone.
Today his work is not just appreciated by others, but he has set an example for others to emulate.
Parameshwar Gouda, a resident of Harodi village, has maintained the road without any potholes for the last four years. His village is located on the state highway that connects Kumta to Siddapur in Uttara Kannada district.
A multi-tasking man, Gouda works in the half-acre agriculture land that he owns in the monsoon and works as a construction labourer in the summer months.
After every rainy season, potholes emerge on the state highway and connecting roads. The residents of Harodi, Kujalli, Chandavar, Valagalli and others use the road to reach Kumta for schools and colleges, government offices, markets and for other works.
Gouda fills the potholes with stones and mud which are available along the road. He takes about 3-4 days to cover the 5-km distance.
So, what made him take up this initiative?
"I used to get about 2-3 hours of free time in the afternoons and evenings. I used to spend time by sitting with the villagers at the tea shop. We used to discuss the pathetic condition of roads. That's when I decided to fix the potholes. I dedicated between 12 pm and 1 pm and an hour after 5 pm for this purpose," he said.
Jattu Gouda, a villager said, Gouda fills the potholes each year as a 'social service.' "I know that filling potholes with mud and stones is not a permanent solution. But it will be helpful for people for at least two months," Gouda said.