Malkangiri: Industrialist Anand Mahindra expressed his willingness to help two Anganwadi workers from Odisha who cross a dangerously swelling nullah to get to their work. After coming to know about the plights of the two Anganwadi workers working at different Anganwadi centres under Ralegada gram panchayat in Swabhiman area of Malkangiri district from media reports, Mahindra offered to provide rigid inflatable boats built by Mahindra Marine from his company’s CSR funds.
ETV Bharat has reported how two Anganwadi workers cross the swelling Nerudapali nullah dangerously every year during the rainy season to perform their duty. They tie empty pots to their waist and cross the swelling nullah. The nullah is a tributary of the Godavari called Maligadu and is considered extremely treacherous.
The Anganwadi worker — Hemalata Sisa and her colleague Premila Pelmal cross the nullah only to have to trek another for kilometres to get to their remote destination. The workers are taking care of people in a village of close to 400 people. There is a road to a nearby village but taking that road means traversing another 15 extra kilometres.
The district administration is considering building an 80-metre long bridge in is former Left-wing extremist stronghold to help the workers. But this could take time
Meanwhile, if Mahindra does donate rigid inflatable boats to them, it could be the ultimate lifesaver for these dedicated Anganwadi workers.
