Mandi schoolchildren risk lives crossing dam waters on unsafe swing to reach school
Residents of Chhintala Blavg village demand a safe bridge or modern crossing facility after hydel project submerged traditional routes
School students from Chhintala Blavg village under Gram Panchayat Bindla in Kasog tehsil of Mandi district are facing serious difficulties in reaching their school every day due to the rising water level of a hydel project dam. With no proper bridge or road connectivity, children are compelled to cross the water using an old-fashioned swing (jhula), raising serious concerns about their safety.
The decades-old swing is in poor condition and poses a significant risk, especially for school-going children who depend on it for their daily commute. Tribune photo.
Residents of the village say that transporting children across the dam has become a daily challenge. Tribune photo.
Residents of the village say that transporting children across the dam has become a daily challenge. They allege that the decades-old swing is in poor condition and poses a significant risk, especially for school-going children who depend on it for their daily commute.
Bodh Raj, a resident of Chhintala Blavg village, recently highlighted the issue by sharing a video on his social media account. He described the situation as a matter of grave concern, stating that every trip across the swing is risky for the children. He said that villagers have repeatedly appealed to the concerned minister and the local MLA to replace or upgrade the swing with a safer alternative, but no concrete action has been taken so far.
According to the residents, the problem arose after the construction of a hydel power project, which led to the submergence of traditional access routes due to the rise in dam water levels. They have urged the Himachal Pradesh Government to take immediate notice of the issue and provide a safe and permanent transportation facility, such as a bridge or a modern crossing system, to ensure the safety of schoolchildren and other residents who rely on the route for their daily travel.
