A pregnant woman was carried on the shoulders of villagers across the swollen Karkari River to reach a hospital in Jharkhand's Khunti district, once again highlighting the lack of basic infrastructure in several remote villages during the monsoon.
The incident took place in Savmarangbeda village under Arki block, where the absence of an all-weather road and a bridge over the Karkari River leaves residents isolated whenever heavy rains cause the river to overflow.
According to local residents, Somvari Devi went into labour at a time when the river was in full spate, making it impossible for an ambulance to reach the village.
With no other option available, her husband, Manguchhata Nag, along with other villagers, carried her on their shoulders through the flooded river before transporting her to the Arki Community Health Centre.
Doctors at the health centre successfully conducted the delivery and confirmed that both the mother and the newborn were healthy and in stable condition.
Villagers said the lack of a bridge over the Karkari River disconnects Savmarangbeda from the rest of the region every monsoon, severely affecting access to healthcare, education and other essential services.
They said pregnant women, patients, elderly residents and schoolchildren are among those who suffer the most during the rainy season.
A local said that delayed access to medical care often puts lives at risk. "Every monsoon, pregnant women and critically ill patients have to cross the river to reach a hospital because there is no bridge," the villager said.
Residents alleged that repeated appeals to the district administration and public representatives for the construction of a bridge and an all-weather road have yielded no results.
Echoing the villagers' concerns, Savmarangbeda Mukhiya Mansay Munda said demands for a bridge and a motorable road had been raised several times with the local MLA and district authorities, but the issue remained unresolved.
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