Tura, May 4: In Meghalaya’s East Garo Hills, fifteen villages on the other side of the longest river in Garo hills – Simsang, will soon reap the benefit of the ambitious Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MG-NREGS).
Five villages on the other side have come together to construct a suspension footbridge to put an end to their woes. The villages are – Chachatgre, Bolkingre, Ashabibra, Ganinggre and Ganingbibra.
The bridge is 85 per cent complete and is likely to be opened from the end of this month. The bridge will connect Kusimkolgre locality of Williamnagar to Chachatgre and other adjoining villages. 382 households have contributed for the construction of the bridge under NREGS.
The length of the bridge is 176 meter and breadth 1.2 meter, which is said to be the longest suspension footbridge in Garo hills, constructed under the scheme at a cost of above Rs. 1.05 cr.
In absence of a bridge connecting villages on the other side of the Simsang River in Williamnagar under Samanda development block, people for ages had faced hardship.
One third population of Samanda block inhabit on the southern side of Simsang River. This area is sandwiched between Durama hills and Simsang River.
The villages on the other side of the river depend on Williamnagar for their different needs – be it business, education and health services. The main bottleneck was the river, which flows above danger level during monsoon.
Underlining the very fact, government initiated construction of a concrete bridge, which has remained incomplete for 30 years. Officials in district administration say that the bridge, which is almost 80 per cent complete, will be inaugurated by the end of this year.
The bridge at Warima locality in Williamnagar will connect to at least 55 villages on the other side of the river. The bridge had collapsed several times dampening the spirit of the people. This has forced villagers on the other side to decide of their own to construct a suspension footbridge across Simsang under MG-NREGS.
“The river allows crossing by vehicle for only four months in a year and rest of the year, the only way to cross the river is by traditional boat called ‘ring’”, said Vijay Mantri, deputy commissioner of East Garo Hills.
“Every day hundreds of vegetable vendors, students, teachers, patients and others cross the river. A bridge is eluding them for the past many years”, said Mantri. He also added, “One bridge which has been under construction for last 30 years could not be completed due to various problems. After inception of MG-NREGS, the villagers across the river took up many useful works to improve communication. The construction of footbridge is their brainchild; however we have given them the technical assistance”.
The footbridge will not allow any four wheelers to these villages but it will ease their problems during monsoon. Two-wheelers can easily ply through the footbridge.
In September 2012, five village employment councils (VECs) under Samanda block decided to construct the footbridge and approached the district administration.
“We took the decision for the suspension footbridge considering our problems during monsoon. All the VECs decided to contributed 40 man days from each household in the five villages for the construction of the bridge”, said Grethwil R Sangma, VEC secretary of Bolkingre village.
The VECs were set up in Garo hills for the implementation of NREGS as panchayat raj is not prevalent in Meghalaya.
“Under NREGS, we have constructed approach road, concrete road in our villages, so we thought that a bridge over the Simsang River will also be possible and accordingly took a decision in the community”, said Sangma.
Penarson Sangma, a resident of Ashabibra said, “We hope that the footbridge will help our children to cross the Simsang River during rainy days. It will also help us to go to Williamnagar easily”.
A vegetable seller from Ganingbibra village Mitamchi Marak said, “We have to cross Simsang on a country boat, which is very dangerous. We risk our lives to cross the river to go to Williamnagar. We are hoping that the completion of the bridge will help us immensely”. Her views were echoed by many other women, who travel to Williamnagar to sell vegetable and other commodities grown in the village like maize, ginger, rice, chillies, oranges, etc
Block development officer of Samanda block, Dr. Rejina Marak said, “The five VECs decided of their own and approached us. They adopted a resolution and took up the work. They have sacrificed their wages for the construction, as skilled labourers were hired for the execution of the works. The villagers did unskilled work for the bridge”.
Of the 382 households in the five villages, every family contributed 40 man days for the construction for two years.
Marak said, “Meghalaya integrated basin development and livelihood promotion program (MIBDLP) supported the project by way of providing the critical gap funding and also getting the project technically vetted. The project has contributed about Rs. 19.43 lakhs”.
Explaining the convergence of two projects – NREGS and basin development, Mantri said, “Conviction of the people is very important for the success of development works. The villagers have proved it, we are thrilled and expecting that the bridge will help the people”.
Recollecting a boat tragedy incident of 2012, Mantri said, “A young girl Juna Momin lost her live, while crossing the river on a boat. It is very fact that reminds us of a sordid picture and the problems, which villager have been facing over the years”. (SP News)
