Malungi Girls Risk Lives for Education: Dangerous Boat Journey Across Damanganga [Ground Reality]
Malungi Girls Cross River by Boat to Attend School A disturbing and painful reality of the education system has emerged from Malungi village, located in the remote Kaprada taluka, where students—especially young girls—are forced to risk their lives every single day just to attend school. Due to the absence of a bridge and any safe transportation facility, students from Malungi village must cross the Damanganga river by boat to reach the school located in Tukwada. This dangerous daily journey has become a harsh routine, exposing the deep gap between development claims and ground reality.
In Malungi village, access to education is not just about books and classrooms; it has become a daily struggle for survival. With no permanent bridge over the Damanganga river, children are left with no option but to rely on small boats. For school-going girls, this journey is particularly frightening. They must travel across deep waters, strong currents, and unstable conditions without any safety equipment such as life jackets. Yet, driven by their determination to study, these girls continue to undertake this risky journey.
Local residents explain that the women of the village themselves are compelled to operate these boats as part of their livelihood. These same women ferry school children across the river every morning and bring them back in the afternoon. Students are required to pay a fee for each boat ride, adding an extra financial burden on already poor families. For many households, the cost of daily boat travel has become an unavoidable expense just to ensure their children can attend school.
Scenes from Malungi village are deeply unsettling. Girls dressed in school uniforms can be seen sitting inside small boats with their bags and books tightly held in their arms. Their faces reflect a mix of fear and hope—fear of the river and hope for a better future through education. The women rowing the boats try their best to navigate safely, but the constant threat of an accident looms large. A single mistake, a sudden wave, or a strong current could lead to a tragic incident.
Villagers say this problem has existed for years. Repeated appeals have been made to authorities demanding the construction of a permanent bridge, but no concrete action has been taken so far. Despite tall promises of development, Malungi village continues to remain deprived of basic infrastructure. The fact that children must risk their lives to access education raises serious questions about governance and priorities.
The situation becomes even more alarming during the monsoon season. As rainfall increases, the water level of the Damanganga river rises significantly, and the current becomes extremely strong. During such times, crossing the river by boat becomes highly dangerous. Many days, children are forced to skip school entirely because the river is too risky to cross. This directly impacts their education, attendance, and academic performance.
Parents express helplessness and constant fear. Every morning, they send their daughters to school with a prayer on their lips, hoping they will return home safely. Despite the danger, parents feel they have no alternative. Education is seen as the only path toward a better future, and denying it would mean pushing their children further into poverty and backwardness.
Local residents point out the irony of government slogans like “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao.” For the girls of Malungi village, reaching school itself has become a battle. While numerous schemes exist on paper to promote girls’ education, the lack of basic infrastructure such as bridges and safe roads renders these schemes ineffective on the ground.
The journey to school has become a daily test of courage for Malungi’s girls. It is not just an academic challenge but a physical and emotional ordeal. Mothers worry constantly, fathers feel powerless, and children grow up learning that education comes with fear. This reality paints a grim picture of rural education access in remote regions.
Village elders and local leaders are now raising a strong demand for immediate intervention. They insist that a permanent bridge must be constructed over the Damanganga river without further delay. If building a bridge is not immediately feasible, at the very least, a safe and government-managed transport system should be provided to ensure the safety of students and women.
Residents warn that waiting for a tragedy before taking action would be unforgivable. Preventive steps taken now could save lives and secure the future of many children. No child, especially no girl, should be forced to risk her life for the right to education. This is not merely an infrastructure issue but a serious human safety concern.
The situation in Malungi village exposes the stark contrast between development narratives and real-life conditions in remote tribal areas. As long as girls are seen crossing rivers in unsafe boats to attend school, claims of inclusive development remain hollow. Villagers are hopeful that this issue will finally receive serious attention and that swift action will be taken to provide a bridge or a safe alternative.
Until then, the girls of Malungi continue their daily journey—braving fear, water, and uncertainty—holding on to the belief that education will one day lead them to a safer and brighter future.
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