Patient carried in 'Doli' for 10 km to reach hospital

Chamarajanagara: In a tragic incident, a sick person being transported to the hospital in a doli took place in Doddane village beside Male Mahadeshwar hill in Hanur taluk. A person named Mahadev of Doddane village who was suffering from lung problem fell ill suddenly on Wednesday afternoon. At this time, as a vehicle was not available to transport him to the hospital, he was brought to Sulwadi Primary Health Centre by dolly and treated. Later, he was taken to Chamarajanagara district hospital.

More than ten villages under Male Mahadeshwar Betta Gram Panchayat do not have proper road facilities. Also, without proper transport system, people are stranded. Many requests have been made to the Deputy Commissioner, District in-charge minister, MLAs and authorities to provide transport arrangements, but to no avail. Since the roads of these jungle villages are damaged, even ambulance traffic is not possible. Due to this, the patients here are suffering a lot.

There have been incidents of pregnant women giving birth on the way while being brought to the hospital in a doli. There have been some incidents of deaths due to not being able to reach the hospital on time. Despite this, the villagers expressed their outrage that the government has not taken any action.

Previously forest department provided three jeeps to the villages of Mendare, Tulsikere, Indiganatta, Padasalanatta, Medganane, Palar, Doddane, Thokere, Kokkabare by starting a project called Jan Vana Transport. It was used for one or two months to take the children to school, go to the hospital, and for daily commuting. However, since the last two months the road has got completely damaged and the drivers have not been paid, so the project stopped.

The road to Indiganatta village is being repaired. Gram panchayat president Tholasikere Kemppanna has informed that once the Forest Department appoints a driver, they will run vehicles on this route. Although 75 years have passed since independence, many villages have not seen basic amenities. The Charamarajanagara district is one of most back ward districts of the state situated on the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.