Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Jun 18: Hattikudru-Basrur connecting bridge in the taluk has remained an unfulfilled dream since the last two decades. Even now the dream has not moved towards becoming a reality. Hattikudru, an isle located within Basrur gram panchayat, has been seeking a connecting bridge since several years but the people living here and undergoing the ordeal, have been complaining that the government has been deaf to their demands.

Hattikudru and Basrur are just a hundred metres apart. The isle is inhabited by 250 to 350 families with population of about 3,000. The isle is endowed with rich nature but spending four months of the rainy season has turned out to be hellish for these people year after year.

The families living in the isle surrounded by river have no other go but to use boats for travel. All the people have to cross Halady rivulet from Hattikudru and reach Basrur for their routines. About 150 to 160 children also cross the rivulet everyday to attend schools. When there is heavy rain, they are forced to be absent from their schools and colleges. As agricultural labourers,businessmen etc are totally dependent on Basrur for their routine, they too have to cross the rivulet with boat. Several such isles in the taluks have got bridge but the demand of the people here has become a far cry. Therefore, a sense of safety and security is missing from their lies.

People use boat to come to Basrur for treatment, get rations, or get education. Hattikudru had been an isle in the past without any bridge. In 2004, a bridge to connect Hattikudru with Hattiangady was built. But people using this bridge have to take a long detour to reach Basrur via Kundapur. People lost interest about having take too long a travel to go to Basrur and therefore have become dependent again on boats. Sand mining has also hurt Hattikudru a lot, and lack of basic amenities has ensured that this isle remains backward. People's representatives are the only hope for these people.

Although Hattikudru has sizable population, the demand for connecting bridge has somehow been neglected. Crossing the rivulet poses a huge challenge during rainy season. A local and former member of taluk panchayat, Hattikudru Babu Poojary, says that it is wrong on the part of the government to neglect this place, which has a population of over 3,000.

Another local, Krishna, who works as boatman, notes that about 150 students from here use boats to cross the rivulet and attend schools. He says that the three rainy season months pose the biggest challenge and travel by boats always raises concerns of safety. He says with concern that sick people, pregnant women etc also have to go through the ordeal of crossing the rivulet. He therefore, fully supports the demand for connecting bridge between Hattikudru and Basrur.