Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady

Beltangady, Jul 24: A day after issues relating to the lack of a footbridge at Baremelu-Nadugudde and the absence of road connectivity to the Bajakresalu Dalit colony triggered widespread discussion and outrage at the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Special Gram Sabha held at Laila gram panchayat on Wednesday, a team of government officials visited the affected areas on Thursday.

At the Gram Sabha, resident Shekhar Laila displayed photographs of schoolchildren using the unsafe foot crossing at Baremelu and pictures of a roadside landslide on the Ayila road that occurred three years ago. He also highlighted the plight of eight to ten Scheduled Caste families in Bajakresalu who continue to live without road access and strongly questioned the officials over the delay in addressing their problems.

During the meeting, Shekhar also recited poet Siddalingaiah's famous song Yaarige Bantu, Ellige Bantu Nalvatteelara Swatantrya (Who Received, Where Reached the Freedom of '47), stating that although India had completed 79 years of Independence, the lack of development for Dalit and Adivasi communities showed that true freedom had still not reached them. He criticised the officials over the continued neglect of these communities.

Following the Gram Sabha, a team comprising zilla panchayat engineering sub-division engineer Sandeep Shetty Mandars, Social Welfare Department official Dheeraj Kumar, Laila gram panchayat development officer Taranath Nayak, assistant accounts officer Supreetha Shetty, former gram panchayat member Prasad Shetty Eninje, panchayat staff member Pradeep, and activist Shekhar Laila visited the Baremelu-Nadugudde area and the Bajakresalu Dalit colony to inspect the situation on the ground.

Speaking during the visit, the officials said that the Revenue Department's permission would be required to construct a road through government land to the Bajakresalu Dalit colony. They assured residents that they would meet the Tahsildar and explain the issue to secure the necessary approval.

The officials also assured that an estimate and blueprint for constructing a footbridge at Baremelu-Nadugudde would be prepared and submitted to the government to draw its attention to the long-pending demand.