Shillong: Children in Nengkhra Agalgre are risking their lives to reach school. They traverse the treacherous Rongtam River, often losing their footing in heavy currents. A recent viral video shows students clutching books above their heads while struggling to stay upright. The river, usually 20 metres wide, swells to over 60 metres during the monsoon.
Over 4,000 people live in the area, relying on this route for education and daily supplies. Nine schools sit near the riverbanks. When water levels spike, local economic activity halts and children miss crucial exams. Residents report that crossing the rocky, debris-filled riverbed is hazardous even for strong adults.
Tragedy hit this year when a mother lost her two-year-old child to the current. Another man survived only after being swept a kilometre downstream. These incidents remain etched in the minds of the desperate villagers.
GSU president Ringrang Sangma spoke on the daily peril. "What can be said about the condition of our people here? Our hearts go out to students, who on a daily basis risk their lives in the quest for an education."
Villagers have sent multiple appeals to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, the local MLA, and the PWD. They demand a bridge, even a simple suspension design. The PWD Executive Engineer for East Garo Hills acknowledged receiving memos and promised an engineering team would assess the site for feasibility. Until officials act, families continue to gamble with the river.
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