Rain Turns Kharla Nala into a Barrier for Behedamal Residents

Bonai, August 27 : Every monsoon, the residents of Behedamal hamlet face the same hardship — a swollen Kharla Nala cuts them off from the outside world, forcing villagers to take extraordinary risks simply to reach the other side.

Around 52 families comprising more than 300 people live in the hamlet. During the rainy season, the normally manageable stream turns into a dangerous water channel, disrupting daily life and making travel particularly difficult for children, elderly people and patients.

A photograph from the area shows residents wading through the waist-deep water while carrying children across the swollen nala. With no permanent bridge available, villagers are compelled to depend on makeshift arrangements to maintain connectivity.

Every year, villagers themselves collect materials and construct a temporary bridge through community labour. However, the structure is washed away once the water level rises. The cycle of construction and destruction continues year after year.

The absence of a permanent bridge has serious consequences. Schoolchildren often struggle to attend classes during heavy rains, while patients face difficulties in reaching healthcare facilities. The disruption also affects the movement of essential food and other daily necessities.

Villagers said they have repeatedly approached local representatives and officials, from the sarpanch and Block Development Officer to the district administration and ministers, seeking a permanent solution. Despite repeated appeals, their demand remains unfulfilled.

According to local representatives, a soil test was reportedly conducted by the Rural Development Department last year following repeated complaints, raising hopes that work on a permanent bridge would begin. However, residents say there has been no visible progress on the ground.

The continuing problem has also triggered resentment among villagers. Local residents and youths have reportedly warned that the administration’s failure to resolve the issue could influence their response in the upcoming panchayat elections.

For the people of Behedamal, the Kharla Nala is more than a seasonal watercourse. It has become a symbol of their long-standing struggle for basic connectivity, education, healthcare and safe movement.

Villagers are now demanding that the administration take immediate steps to construct a permanent bridge before the next monsoon, so that they no longer have to risk their lives crossing the swollen nala.