Daijiworld Media Network - Madikeri (MS)

Madikeri, Aug 14: First Monnangeri village, which is at a distance of barely 6 km from the district centre here in an internationally renowned village which has five-star resorts. However, the district administration is not bothered to help the villagers during the rainy season. Due to the apathy of the administration, the villagers had to carry the dead body of an old lady on their shoulders and cross the overflowing bridge.

This incident occurred on Sunday, August 12. Acchapattira Machamma (92) had died on Sunday in a hospital in this town due to ill-health. When her body was being brought to the village, the bridge was overflowing due to flood water. There is a footbridge beside this bridge, which is built 60 years ago. However, the footbridge is broken as a wooden log, which came floating in the flood water, hit it with force. So the family members of the deceased woman had no other option but to carry her dead body on their shoulders and cross the overflowing bridge risking their lives.

First Monnangeri village, which comes under the limits of Galibeedu gram panchayat, has a decade-long history of negligence and apathy by the taluk administration. The bridge that was created eight years ago is the lifeline of this village and is accessed by more than 400 people of 80 families living in the village. The locals say that this situation would not have created had the height of the bridge was elevated by another three foot as per their request.

More than 40 students of this village have to go to school by crossing either the broken footbridge or the submerged bridge. A few years ago, a seventh standard student of the village, who was studying in Galibeedu school met watery grave on this bridge itself. Even after this incident, the people's representatives and the district administration has not woken up and taken notice of the woes of the villagers.

Appachattira Timmaiah, a resident of this village says, "We face this situation every rainy season. The people's representatives, who visit the village to seek vote do not turn up after the elections are over. The district administration does not have time to hear our appeal. We will hold a protest against the district administration."