RAICHUR: Remote villages in Karnataka are being connected with different modes of transport, provided electricity and other facilities, but here is an archipelago of islands that still depends on boats to reach the land.
The islands -- Kurvakala, Kurva Kurda and Narada Gadde of Raichur taluk -- remind one of ancient times when finding transport was difficult. Even children here depend on boats to reach their schools as successive governments have turned a blind eye to the demands of villagers for a bridge across the Krishna river to connect their islands.
The children at Kurvakurda have to cross the Krishna river spanning across 2 km to reach their school at Dongarampur, while children at Kurvakula too use boats to reach theirs school at Aatkur. Both Kurvakurda and Kurvakula have lower primary schools and anganwadis, but not higher primary schools, high schools or colleges.
The headmaster of Kurvakurda Primary School has written to the deputy commissioner, urging him to make arrangements in the interest of schoolchildren as the river is infested with crocodiles. Vishwanath, a high school student of Kurvakurda, said the boat rides are a rebirth twice every day for them, especially during the rainy season.
The islands also lack healthcare facilities. Chandappa of Kurvakala says, “We have to wait till morning if anybody falls ill at night. We go to the PHC at Aatkur village crossing the Krishna river.” Kuravakala has a population of around 350 and Kurvakurda around 400. Another island, Nardagaddi, which is a religious place, does not have any houses and pilgrims visit the mutt using boats. President of the Raichur district unit of Kalyan-Karnataka Raitha Sangha, Ranganath K. Dongarampur, said officials are not constructing a bridge, though the government has released funds.
Ranganath said the Telangana government allocated some funds to the state government to create infrastructure and build rehabilitation facilities in 2009 for those affected by the Jurala project. The work to build two bridges was taken up in 2011 with an estimated cost of Rs 17 crore, but has not been completed so far. Villagers can get electricity and other facilities only if the bridges are completed. The villagers warned that they will launch an agitation if their demands are not met.