The drowning of a minor girl in a pond has triggered a strong commotion at Brahmnada village under Basta block. An ambulance couldn’t reach to shift the victim to hospital as its tyres were stuck in a muddy road to the spot. The road stretch of about 1 km belonging to SE Railways is in a dilapidated state owing non maintenance by the authorities, the villagers alleged. Following the death of the 13-yr-old girl, activist Shyam PrasadM Behera along with villagers asked the railway authorities to renovate the road immediately or else they would stop vehicles which were engaged for railway works. The SER partially restored the road by putting crusher dust, said Behera. “The girl while drowned accidentally in the village pond, she was rescued by the fellow villagers.An 108 ambulance was called in, yet it couldn’t reach as its tyres got stuck in the mud on road. Later, she was taken to the local CHC in a bike where doctor declared her received dead. “The road stretch belongs to the SER. Despite our pleas several times,
it couldn’t be renovated as the railway are now hardly investing on anything which is not profitable. However, after anguish of the villagers, the road renovation work is in progress,” Behera added.