Not more than a kilometre away from Jalsoor Gate on the Sullia-Puttur-Mani NH 275, nine families who live across a rivulet have been demanding that the government construct a bridge to help them cross the water body, especially during the monsoon. Of the families, eight belong to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes who say that no one has heeded to their demand since decades.
The issue came to the fore after one of the residents shared on social media a video clipping and a photograph of a woman being shifted on a stretcher across the rivulet on feet.
One of the residents at Marasanka, near Jalsoor Gate, Satish Naik told The Hindu that his relative Devaki, 70, who had suffered a fracture, had to be carried on the stretcher on July 13 by crossing the rivulet amid heavy rain. She was shifted to the government health facility at Sullia on that day.
“Though there is a footbridge to cross over the rivulet near Marasanka it is not spacious to shift patients. It is risky during the monsoon as it slips,” he said.
“We have been submitting memoranda to all elected representatives including S. Angara, MLA, Sullia Assembly segment, for long. Mr. Angara is Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport now. We had high hopes on the six-time MLA. But our demand has not been realised,” Mr. Naik said.
The resident maintained that there are some more aged persons in the locality who required medical assistance. There is no way but to shift them crossing the rivulet on feet to reach Jalsoor.
President of Jalsoor Gram Panchayat K.M. Babu said that elected representatives are aware of the demand which is genuine. But some persons will have to part their private land for constructing the bridge and the road as government land is not available.
“There is a taluk-level Karnataka Development Programme Review Committee meeting on July 19 which will be presided over by Mr. Angara. We will meet the Minister on that day to find a solution,” Mr. Babu said.
