This Team Of Manjhis From Chattisgarh Broke Down An Entire Mountain In Just 6 Months

Admin 10-May-2016 16:59:40 Inothernews

This Team Of Manjhis From Chattisgarh Broke Down An Entire Mountain In Just 6 Months


Legendary 'mountain man' Dashrath Manjhi cut through a mountain in Gehlaur village in Bihar to shorten the distance of his village to the city. Though it took 22 years for Manjhi to complete the herculean task, villagers of Chhattisgarh's Dhamtari district have tamed a mountain in six months. Around 200 villagers under MGNREGA, have smashed rocks to tunnel a route to the city, reducing a distance of 20 km to 5.5 km. One among those who joined in the mission was Baraturam, a physically challenged person, who has only one hand. He has been an inspiration for many. Dhamtari's 'Majhis' have created ripples and representatives of Union government will be visiting the area on May 11 & 12 to document their work and decide on rewards.



Calling it India's first such mission under MGNREGA, Dhamtari district administration is all set to take the credit of helping villagers achieve the impossible in a short time. "We were having a conversation with villagers about their lives and needs when they all collectively told us that the mountain was a curse. They wanted to cut it short. We were surprised with the blueprint offered by these uneducated villagers. We paid them under MGNERGA to keep them motivated and they made history," said collector Dhamtari, Bhim Singh.

As the administration too has come forward in the initiative, there was no looking back. It all started in October 2015. And since then, 200 villagers from four villages, Saifanpara, Madumsilli, Naiyukona and Bhotapara worked day and night in dense forests to cut a road through the mountain.

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"Their enthusiasm was outstanding. They carved a road by cutting 700m hard rock and 15m deep. Work is 80% complete. As scorching heat is a hurdle, we are planning to finish the task by June," said Dharam Singh, an official from MGNERGA branch of Dhamtari district.

Funds sanctioned for the project is Rs 9.90 lakh. All those who carved roads were provided with MGNREGA cards and paid Rs 167 per day, which was almost like a bonus for villagers, who have set a benchmark for others.

"The main connecting point of all four villages was Naiyukona. The village had junior school, market and business. Villagers are happy their lives will be easier now. This new road will also be fruitful for tourism purpose as the site is behind the Mardum dam, a great natural site for visitors," said Dharam Singh.

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