JAGATSINGHPUR: Nearly 20 students of Rahadinga village in Raghunathpur block have been restricted by their parents to go to school protesting non-completion of a road construction work for over a week now. These children are being taught by a private teacher in an open field.
Sources said, a 400-metre narrow road linking Rahadinga chowk of Jaipur- Jagatsinghpur with ward no 11 of Rahadinga village was in a dilapidated state. In rainy season, the road condition got worse posing difficulties for locals as well as children going to the nearby primary school. Many students, they said, even had near fatal accidents on the road while going to school.
After villagers took up the matter and sought official intervention to renovate the road, the district administration sanctioned `1 lakh under MGNREGS last year. Ward member Arun Kumar Mall deployed 22 job card holders and work commenced a few days back this month.
However, last week, some villagers stopped the work alleging that the land belongs to some private individuals and in the name of a temple. As the road construction remained incomplete, parents vowed not to send their children to school until the work resumes. Instead they engaged a private tutor to teach their wards in the paddy field.
Confirming the same, panchayat samiti member Ranjan Swain said,”Children from Ward 11 are are not going to the primary school since 3-4 days and being taught under polythene tent in the paddy field. We are trying to resolve the land dispute.”
On the other hand, Raghunathpur Block Education Officer Bijay Kumar Swain said neither villagers nor school headmaster have yet communicated about the issue. “An inquiry will be initiated and local revenue officials will look into the matter,” he added.