TL;DR:Ā In Pitrigedda village, Kilo Devi, a 29-year-old tribal woman, had to be carried 6 km on a makeshift stretcher (doli)Ā after giving birth at home due to no ambulance access. Villagers are frustrated by incomplete road projectsĀ and plan to protest at the Zilla Parishad meetingĀ in Visakhapatnam on October 24. š¶āāļø
šļø A Childbirth with No Ambulance in Sight
On Wednesday night, Kilo Devi went into labour at homeĀ since no motorable road connects her remote villageĀ to a nearby hospital. After her delivery, concerned about her health, her husband and relatives carried her and the newborn on footĀ to the closest village, Arla, and from there managed to catch an auto to Butchampetaās PHC.
š§ Incomplete Road Projects: A Never-Ending Struggle
The lack of proper roadsĀ has been a recurring issue for Pitrigedda and nearby villages. In 2021, frustrated villagers pooled moneyāā¹3,000 per householdāto build a motorcycle-accessible road. However, the government-approved gravel road project, sanctioned with ā¹1 crore, was left unfinished in 2023. Though temporary fixesĀ were made with soil and stones, monsoon rainsĀ washed them away, leaving the villagers stranded once again š§ļø.
š¢ āWe Need Roads, Not Promises!āāVillagers Speak Out
Korra Ramesh, Kiloās husband, voiced his frustration: āThis canāt go on. We need proper roads, not empty promises.Ā Lives are at stake.ā Villagers have already filed complaints with the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), but the lack of accountabilityĀ from officials has deepened their anger. Now, the tribals are planning to protestĀ during the upcoming Zilla Parishad meetingĀ in Visakhapatnam on October 24. š©
š” MediaFx Opinion: Basic Infrastructure Is a Right, Not a Privilege!
Itās tragic that tribal communities are forced to rely on makeshift solutionsĀ for something as fundamental as healthcare access. Roads are not just convenienceāthey are lifelines, especially in emergencies like childbirth. The governmentās negligence is a serious failure. These communities should not have to raise their own funds for basic infrastructure. Roadwork projects must be completed urgently, and monsoons canāt be used as an excuseĀ every year. Communal politics are being used to divert attention from issues that matter.
What are your thoughts? Should the government take stronger action for remote communities? Drop your comments below! š
