Chunnu Hansda is a farmer and a seasonal daily wage laborer. He was busying eking out a difficult living when he heard that his closest friend had committed suicide because he had lost his all his money and savings as a result of governmental corruption. Chunnu says that this shocking moment made him reflect on the many injustices in his…

Chunnu Hansda

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Villagers living near the Bokaro River are drowning trying to cross the bridgeless river.  When monsoon comes the river becomes ferocious preventing school children from getting to school.  The authorities don’t seem to care. 

Raja Soren, a resident of Kasiadih village, paints a vivid image, “In 2003, Chotka Besra of our village drowned and died here in this river.  In 2004, Hopna Murmu’s wife was sick and died because she was not able to cross the river.”

Call to Action:  You can show you care.  Ensure the safety of the residents crossing the Bokaro River.  Call the number below and demand the construction of a bridge.  Lives are at risk.

District Collector, Hazaribagh, Sunil Kumar, Tel: +919431141945.

VV-Correspondent Chunnu Hansda reports from Charni panchayat, Hazaribagh, Jharkhand.  The Bakaro River rests between the villages of Kasiadih and Birakhap.  Villagers of Kasiadih, Birakhap, Chapri, Jorakat, Dahudag and Daldalia use the river route to access services.  A total of 4000 people are affected.  The villagers have been asking for a bridge for years.

Villagers have given applications to District collector and Chief Minister Arjun Munda and Shibu Soren to no avail.  They have just been given assurances but no bridge has been made.  The Government has not done anything to ensure the safe passage of these villagers. 

Alpana Soren, a local student explains how out of 200 girls registered at her school, only 150 arrive due to the dangerous river crossing, “Every year in rainy season when we go to school or when we come back from school, it becomes difficult to cross this river.”

All is not lost.  VV-PACS Community Correspondent Shabanam Begum’s video explains how community journalism mixed with your support can bring real change into a community.  Her journalism ensured that the Village Head of Bhavani Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh built the proper infrastructure the community was entitled to. 

Thus your contribution helps.  Call to Action and help residents like Alpana Soren to the bridge they deserve Now. 

Watch more videos like this here.

Written by Manjinder Singh Sidhu