Express Impact: Govt honour for girls who row across Sutlej to reach school, but no word on bridge to connect their village

Kareena Kaur and Kirna Rani on their way to school on a boat. (Express Photo)

The girls were elated after they were specially invited to the Republic Day programme where the minister also had a brief conversation with them.

Satinder Singh, principal, government senior secondary school Gatti Rajoke, said the girls were honoured for their bravery and determination to continue their studies. “They can reach high school only after crossing the river in a boat and they pull it on their own every morning. They reach school putting their lives at risk. Their own village has a primary school only but instead of dropping out after Class 5, they chose to continue their studies and ride a boat to high school,” he said.

Kareena Kaur, who studies in Class 6, said that she was elated after meeting the minister and happily agreed to give him a boat ride. “He asked us if we could take him along on a boat to our village. I said yes, anytime,” said Kareena.

Kareena Kaur and Kirna Rani would take a boat across the Sutlej to reach the senior secondary school at Gatti Rajoke village. (Express Photo)

Kirna Rani’s father Satnam Singh, however, hopes that after the honour, the government finally comes up with a bridge so that his daughter can reach school safely. “We did not stop her from going to school on a boat as she wants to continue her studies but then it is risky especially when water levels in Sutlej rise and it overflows. We hope that at least now, a bridge is constructed soon,” he said.

Taking cognisance of The Indian Express report, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had issued notice to the Punjab government over the “lack of proper education facilities for children in the Sutlej surrounded border area”.

A four-member committee constituted to probe the matter by the Ferozepur additional deputy commissioner (ADC) had suggested setting up of a pontoon bridge to facilitate the students. The committee has also suggested that students from Kaluwara village, which is surrounded by Sutlej waters from three sides and a border fence on the fourth, might be shifted to hostels in Ferozepur city if their parents agree.

The committee report further said that “setting up of a pontoon bridge can facilitate students who move to other villages via boat to access senior secondary school… the BSF officials however informed that even as they manage to erect a makeshift pontoon bridge every year, it can be used for 7-8 months only, as the bridge is removed/snapped during the rainy season with the rise of water level in the river, leaving no option for students but to ride a boat…”.