The school students of three villages under Kuladiha GP of Ali block in the district are facing untold hardships to reach their examination centre for the ongoing High School Certificate (HSC) examinations.
The students have to cross two crocodile-infested rivers and even wade through water to reach the examination centre due to absence of good communication facilities.
Reports said the 32 students of villages Dakhinidiha, Ekamania and Nalapahi under Kuladiha GP of Aul block appearing the ongoing HSC examination from Ekamania Upgraded Upper Primary (UGUP) School, have to cross two rivers on boats for reaching the examination centre at Keredagada under Rajnagar block.
According to the students, to reach the examination centre, which is only 1.5 km from their villages, they have to cross two rivers on boat during the high tide period. In case of low tide, they have to wade through water to reach their destination.
The villages are surrounded by crocodile-infested rivers. On one side is the Brahmani river and on the other side is Kharasrota. The major problem of the villagers is they have been confronting serious communication problems. The lifeline of these villagers is the boat, said a guardian Sarat Behera.
“It is unfortunate that our children have to cross the crocodile-infested rivers and even wade through water for 300 metres to reach their examination centre,” said another villager Sukant Behera.
“We have to risk our lives rivers by risking our life to appear HSC examination as no other communication facilities are available with us. Several students have been suffering from cold and fever after being exposed to the water,” said one of the students.
Kendrapada district Collector Muralidhar Mallik said if the students are facing communication problems, the district administration will arrange accommodation for the students near their examination centre. But it cannot do anything more than that.