JAIPUR: THE road to development of Nagada village under mineral-rich Sukinda block in the district began on Sunday with the laying of a stone for construction of 11-km road to connect Deogaon-Ashokjhar located downhill with Nagada.
The hilltop village grabbed headlines for the deaths of at least 19 children in just three months allegedly due to malnutrition.
Situated in a dense forest, Nagada is inhabited by over 400 primitive Juang tribals, including 127 children, belonging to 56 families. There is virtually no road to the village. For even basic necessities, the villagers have to trek more than 15 km through a dense forest to reach a motorable road.
Construction of the road has been initiated by the district administration as inaccessibility was blamed for total administrative failure in ensuring human survival. The State Government has sanctioned `50 lakh for construction of the road in the first phase and local Legislator Priti Ranjan Ghadai laid the stone for the road.
“The village is deprived of basic facilities like health, education, power and drinking water as there is no road connectivity to it. Construction of a road to Nagada from Deogaan-Ashokjhar end is being carried out,” said Jajpur Sub-Collector Maheswar Panigrahi. The district administration has also provided Nagada villagers with essential commodities like rice, dal, drinking water pouches and mosquito nets.
The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Central division, AB Ota, who is heading the State Task Force (STF), conducted a review meeting on how Nagada can be developed. The meeting was attended by Jajpur Collector Satya Kumar Mallick, Additional District Magistrate, Sub-Collector and other senior officials of the district.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik formed the task force to ensure all-round development of Nagada after the State Government received flak for the deaths of children in the coastal district.