Mhow: Villagers forced to wade through a river to lay their dead to rest

Mhow (Madhya Pradesh): The absence of an approach road to Muktidham in Chhapariya Gram Panchayat of Mhow tehsil for years often puts the village residents in difficult conditions. The latest such incident took place on Thursday when villagers had to take a body to the Muktidham wading waist-deep water. They were forced to traverse a mountain river that falls in the path and only managed to cross the river with the help of a rope to take the body to the Muktidham.

According to the information, on Wednesday, 85-year-old Birja Bhuria died in panchayat Chaparia. The funeral procession was taken out at 10 am on Thursday. Two drains and a river have to be crossed on the Muktidham access road from the village. But due to the absence of a culvert, the people of the village were forced to tie ropes on both sides to cross the river in order to reach the Muktidham.

Villagers said that 200 metres of paved road was built outside the village that connects to an unpaved road. Several times the sarpanch, secretary and other officials were informed about the absence of a culvert on the river but till date, it has not been built. Tribal leader Bhim Singh Girwal said that this route is used by children of the village to go to school and by village people to go to the market and hospital. Every day villagers go out of the village risking their lives. Panchayat secretary Bharat Jat said that the drain on the Muktidham access road leads to problems during the rainy season. Now we will send a proposal for the culvert.