A 37-year-old woman in restive Bijapur’s Marudbaka village was taken ill after consuming a toxic substance. With no road access and a swollen river cutting them off from medical aid, her husband and fellow villagers were left with no choice but to carry her on a makeshift stretcher across the treacherous waters. The journey to reach the nearest medical facility, a staggering 20-22 kilometers on foot, is a stark reminder of the hollow reality behind the state government’s chest-thumping declarations of development in the Maoist-ridden Bastar region. While ruling BJP leaders in Raipur boast of crores being pumped into healthcare, education, and road infrastructure under the banner of "Vishnu Ka Sushasan," the people of Bijapur are left to navigate life-and-death situations with nothing but sheer willpower and a few lengths of rope.

 

The incident, which occurred in the remote Usur block, speaks of the complete disconnect between the state government’s glossy reports and the ground reality. The dire situation came to light only after a video clip of the woman being carried on a makeshift stretcher was shared on social media, sparking outrage and drawing attention to the harsh realities faced by the residents. The harrowing ordeal began when Jogi Podiyami, a resident of Marudbaka, fell critically ill after consuming a poisonous substance. Her husband, Kosa Podiyami, urgently sought help from the villagers, knowing well that any delay in reaching a hospital could be fatal. But in a region where roads are non-existent and rivers become impassable during the monsoon, calling an ambulance was out of the question. Instead, the villagers tied Jogi to a cot and, with the help of ropes, managed to cross the raging river—a lifeline and a death trap rolled into one.

 

Despite their valiant efforts, the journey was far from over. The villagers then embarked on a gruelling 20-22 kilometer trek through the rugged terrain to reach Galgam, where they finally secured an ambulance to take Jogi to the district hospital. While her treatment continues, the incident has laid bare the utter failure of the state’s governance in these Maoist-affected areas. This isn’t the first time Bijapur’s residents have faced such dire straits. Just weeks ago, a pregnant woman from Kamkanar was similarly ferried across a river on a cot, and another woman was carried in a drum by CRPF troopers after giving birth in the Nambi area of Usur.