Betul/Bhind (MP), Jul 29 (PTI): Pregnant women and people in emergency situations are grappling with severe challenges, as numerous villages in Madhya Pradesh have lost connectivity to their district headquarters due to flooding from heavy rains. In the past few days, two cases have drawn attention, highlighting how poor road conditions exacerbated the struggles faced by pregnant women due to overflowing rivers and streams. In one instance, a woman experiencing labour pains was transported to a hospital by crossing a river in a bullock cart. In another case, a pregnant woman had to be carried on a cot to an ambulance because the vehicle couldn’t reach her house due to a waterlogged road. Videos of these ordeals have gone viral on social media. While a government official has announced an investigation into the department responsible for the poor road conditions, the opposition Congress has criticized the ruling BJP, questioning the government's efforts to address these woes.
A BJP leader countered, stating that road networks were developed up to the villages over the past 20 years, facilitating access to health services during emergencies. An organization of tribal laborers has warned of an agitation if no concrete action is taken to address these issues by August 15. Sunita, a resident of Bod Raiyat village in the Chicholi development block, located 60 km from Betul district headquarters, began experiencing labor pains on a Sunday.
Her husband, Bablu Adivasi, recounted to PTI that he could not find a way to take her to the hospital due to the flooding from the Bhanji river in their area, so he consulted other villagers. "The villagers showed courage by helping transport Sunita across the river in a bullock cart, eventually reaching Chirapatla Hospital in an ambulance," he said. A widely-shared video shows the woman lying in the cart as several people push it across the river. Bablu expressed relief that his wife gave birth to a healthy baby in the hospital and both mother and child were fine.
Rajendra Garhwal of the Shramik Adivasi Sangathan, an NGO in Betul, mentioned that the Bhanji river cuts through the village, and despite several protests demanding the construction of a bridge, no significant action has been taken so far. He warned of a larger agitation if no progress is made towards the bridge's construction by August 15. In a related incident, Chanchal, a 30-year-old resident of Barokhari village under Lahar assembly constituency in Bhind district, faced severe labor pains on a Monday.
Her Dalit family called an ambulance, which could not reach their home, situated 60 km from the district headquarters, due to a waterlogged and slushy approach road after heavy rains. Four individuals carried her on a cot through the muddy terrain to the ambulance. Later, Zila Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Sunil Dubey stated that an inquiry will determine which department is accountable for the road's poor condition, with further action based on the findings. On rural road conditions during monsoons, Dubey noted that gram panchayats receive limited funds, complicating development efforts.
Garhwal, however, countered that financial resources in the state were sufficient, and delays were merely excuses. He stressed that risking villagers' lives was unacceptable. Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari shared the Betul incident video on social media, critiquing the state government's performance. He questioned whether the compulsion to cross the Bhanji river symbolized strong leadership.
Patwari also targeted state BJP president Hemant Khandelwal, who represents Betul in the state assembly, wondering if the BJP president was inattentive to public protests. MP BJP media in-charge Ashish Agrawal retorted that the Congress overlooked its own 50-year rule, during which no development occurred, particularly in rural areas, exposing their governance failures. He affirmed that in the last 20 years, road networks have reached villages, thus facilitating ambulance access during emergencies. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Madhya Pradesh received 645.8 mm of rainfall this monsoon, compared to 418.4 mm the previous year—54 percent more than normal.
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