Uttarkashi elderly brought to hospital by villagers after walking 16 km in snow

Kripa Singh, 58, was brought to the sub-divisional hospital located 16 km away by fellow residents of his remote village of Osla on Wednesday. The villagers carried Singh through the snowed-in path, due to the lack of any advanced road or transportation being available at the settlement.

Uttarkashi: Advanced roadways have not reached many villages across Uttarakhand till date. In these areas, travelling miles by foot happens to be the norm for residents to reach larger habitations. In one example of it, residents of remote Osla village in Mori block of the far-flung district of Uttarkashi on Wednesday, had to carry 58-year-old Kripa Singh to the sub-divisional hospital, located 16 km away, on foot through snow. Singh, who was ill for the past few days, suddenly took a critical turn on Monday.

The locals of the village took the icy road, carrying Singh to the nearby district sub-division using a makeshift stretcher made out of sticks. The journey took more than six hours, despite starting early on Tuesday. According to the locals, apart from Osla, Dhatmir, Pavani and Gangad villages in the district too are similarly deprived of advanced road facilities.