Ganjam ASHA, ANM workers cross stream on excavator after Cyclone Arnab damages road

A video from Odisha's Ganjam district, widely shared on social media, shows an ASHA worker and an ANM worker risking their lives to reach their place of work. With the road cut off, the two women had to use a JCB-type machine to cross a stream.

The incident took place in Gajalbari area of Soroda block in Ganjam district. Cyclone Arnab, which struck recently, badly affected roads and movement across the area. Heavy rain and flooding washed away roads in several places and severely damaged bridges. As a result, even reaching nearby villages had become difficult.

According to the information available, the two women health workers were on their way to their duty point in Gajalbari area. The road near Bhutapankala had been damaged, so they could not go further. A stream lay ahead and there was no safe route, so the two were stranded there. An excavator, or JCB, was then arranged to take them across the stream.

The two women stood on the machine and were carried to the other side of the stream. It was a highly risky method. Even a slight slip could have led to a serious accident.

Relief supplies and essential services are currently being delivered in many parts of Ganjam affected by Cyclone Arnab. The responsibility has been placed on ASHA workers, ANMs and Anganwadi workers. To provide health services and help those in need, these workers have to travel to remote villages.

Broken roads and damaged bridges had made reaching villages almost impossible. The Gajalbari incident is a clear example of this difficulty. The two women workers tried to carry out their duty even in difficult conditions. Their act shows dedication to their responsibility. It is also a reminder of how important it is to keep road connectivity safe in disaster-hit areas.