Gaya Village Waits For A Bridge As Children Struggle To Reach School

Gaya: For children in Gopal Nagar village in Bihar's Gaya district in Manpur block, going to school during the monsoon is a difficult task. With no bridge or proper road, schoolchildren and residents are forced to wade through a stream that often overflows during the rainy season.“On one side is the Paimar River, and on the other is a ‘Pyain’ (irrigation canal). There is neither a road nor a bridge here. Because of this, children face a lot of difficulties in going to school. Everyone faces problems going to work as we remain cut off because of the river,” Gopal Paswan, a resident said.Another resident, Umesh Manjhi, said the rising water levels severely affect children’s education. “We are somehow managing to survive. There is no road or bridge here. When the water level rises, children face a lot of difficulty going to school. Over three months, they barely manage to attend school for two or three days each month. Most of the time, they have to stay home,” he said.The Sarpanch of Kaiya panchayat, under which Gopal Nagar falls, said efforts would be made to get a bridge constructed. “We will make every possible effort to ensure that a bridge is built. Around 50 to 60 Mahadalit families live in the area, and they face a lot of difficulty, especially the children, when they go to school. If a bridge is built, it will remove the risk of people having to wade through the water,” Sarpanch Bijli Thakur said.However, residents allege they have heard only promises over the last 25 years, none of which have been fulfilled.