629 Students Across 13 Schools Face Disrupted Studies
Key Points:
- Children cross swollen rivers daily to reach school
- Kunda block worst affected amid continuous heavy rainfall
- Hunterganj village turns into island due to waterlogging
CHATRA – Continuous rainfall has disrupted access to schools for children in several villages of Chatra district. Rising river levels have blocked the usual path to school in multiple areas.
Villages including Ullawar, Kaknatu, Tatej and Renganiyatari fall under Kunda block. Children from these villages cross fast-flowing rivers to attend classes.
According to residents, students carry their school bags on their backs. They hold their shoes in hand while wading through the water.
Officials said around 629 children across 13 schools in Kunda block are affected. Many of them cross the river on a daily basis.
Students said the river’s rising water level frightens them at times. They often hold each other’s hands to cross when the current is strong.
Parents said they cannot stop their children’s education despite the risk. Some parents personally carry their children on their shoulders across the river.
Meanwhile, the rising water has also disrupted supply of ration and other essentials to schools. A cook at one of the schools said delivering rations becomes difficult once the water rises.
Rivers including Sindri, Dwarpar, Hathwar and Kunda in the area lack bridges, according to villagers. This adds to residents’ difficulties during the monsoon season.
Besides schoolchildren, patients, pregnant women and elderly residents also face risks while crossing these rivers. Villagers said a pregnant woman was recently unable to reach the hospital in time.
According to the villagers’ account, the delay caused by the swollen river was linked to a stillbirth. Officials have not independently confirmed this claim.
Separately, Das Tola in Parasiya village under Hunterganj block also turns into an island during heavy rain. A dam built on private land is blocking water drainage in the area.
Around 300 people across roughly 40 households are affected by the resulting waterlogging, residents said. Two children narrowly escaped drowning while crossing the flooded stretch.
Ambulances have also struggled to reach the village, according to residents. The district administration has issued notices to the landowners concerned, officials said.
However, villagers said they want a permanent solution for drainage and access. The district education superintendent has assured officials will look into the matter.
Chatra district in Palamu division has faced similar monsoon-related access issues in previous years. Besides education, healthcare access during heavy rainfall has also been a recurring concern in the region.
