A tribal woman in need of emergency healthcare after delivery had to be shifted from her village at Donkada of Narsipatnam Assembly constituency in Anakapalli district in a ‘doli’, a traditional makeshift stretcher, to a hospital around 3 km away from her house on Wednesday morning.
Her family members decided to rush her to hospital in a doli as the ambulance vehicle could not reach the hamlet due to lack of a motorable road.
Muvvala Mary (28) developed labour pains at around 1.30 a.m. in the early hours of Wednesday and her family members called in for an ambulance, only to be told that the ambulance could not be sent to their village in a forest with no motorable road connectivity.
Meanwhile, Ms. Mary delivered a boy at the house and her family members shifted her in a doli to the road point near Golugonda. They called for an ambulance again but in vain. This time, they were told that the ambulance was not available.
The new mother and her baby were taken to a private hospital in an autorickshaw.
Around 170 people belonging to Kondh, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), live in Donkada village located in a forest.
In the last one year, three tribal women have delivered babies on the way to hospital as ambulance could not reach the hamlet due to the lack of road.
Village elders Kondathamali Sattibabu and Marri Pothuraju appealed to the officials to lay a road to their village.
K. Govinda Rao, honorary president, Girijan Sangham 5th Schedule Sadhana Committee, said that ₹1.35 crore was sanctioned for laying a road to the village in 2023. But, the work could not be undertaken due to lack of permission from the Forest Department. The Model Code of Conduct in force for the Assembly elections in 2024 delayed the project.
The tribal residents, under the aegis of the Girijan Sangham, staged a protest at the Anakapalli District Collector’s office on January 22, and submitted a memorandum to the Collector.
Though the Forest Department has accorded the permission, the work could not be undertaken due to the Model Code of Conduct for MLC election.
Mr. Govinda Rao appealed to the Collector to ensure that the road works were undertaken at the earliest. “Further delays may result in the monsoon hampering the work again,” he pointed out.
Published - March 12, 2025 11:11 pm IST
