Karnataka man carried on makeshift stretcher for 10km

According to the villagers, Mahadev was taken to a nearby primary health centre in Sulvadi and later shifted to the Chamarajanagar district hospital.

A 62-year-old man suffering from a respiratory issue and seeking urgent medical attention in Chamarajanagar district’s Doddane village was carried to the hospital on a makeshift stretcher for 10 km by villagers as there was no ambulance service available.

A 62-year-old man in Chamarajanagar district’s Doddane village was carried to the hospital on a makeshift stretcher for 10 km

Locals carried Mahadev on a makeshift cart made of cloth for 10 km to the hospital after his condition worsened on Thursday afternoon.

According to the villagers, Mahadev was taken to a nearby primary health centre in Sulvadi and later shifted to the Chamarajanagar district hospital.

In the video, which has gone viral on social media, the ailing man could be seen sitting in the cloth cart while two people carry him on their shoulders on a stretch of road through the forest. HT has seen the video and can verify its authenticity.

The villagers alleged that they complained of lack of road infrastructure to the authorities several times, but “nothing was done so far”.

“Many requests were made to the district collector, district in-charge minister, MLAs and authorities to provide adequate transport arrangements, but to no avail,” a villager, seeking anonymity, said.

According to the locals, more than ten villages under the Male Mahadeshwara Hills gram panchayat do not have proper road facilities and transport systems.

“There have been incidents of pregnant women giving birth on the way to the hospital and some incidents of deaths by not being able to reach the hospital on time. Despite several incidents, the villagers expressed their outrage that the government has not taken any action,” said another local.

“There are no roads or electricity. The situation is such that if someone falls ill, we have to take them on makeshift cloth carts. The villagers have to walk about 10-12 km to get groceries and other daily items. Students also have to walk so much to attend classes. We are not asking for an airport or train. We are only asking for roads and electricity. But the elected representatives are not responding to any of our requests,” the local added.

Speaking over the issue, Hanur constituency MLA R Narendra said there is no permission from the forest department to construct roads in the village since it is a protected area.

“We cannot construct roads because we won’t get permission from the forest department. It is a protected area. But we have provided four jeeps to the villagers so that they can use them in case of emergency,” Narendra said.

“The locals have called the driver but due to network issues, they could not get in touch with him. That’s why they could not take the patient in a vehicle. But the villagers have these four jeeps which they themselves maintain and use when needed,” he said.

The MLA said that efforts are on to move the people in four to five villages in the middle of the forest to nearby areas in the coming days. “We will provide them with houses and other monetary help for their rehabilitation,” Narendra added.

However, deputy conservator of forests (DCF) Santosh Kumar said, “The DC has given directions to provide them four vehicles and that has been given. The forest department is not a transport department. We don’t have the funds to provide drivers or fuel. But we have handed over the vehicles after an agreement with the eco-development committee. Our role is only to monitor these vehicles once in ten days.”