HASSAN/MYSURU: KR Kavitha, 40, did not waste time complaining to the local authorities when she saw an uprooted tree blocking the road while she was rushing her injured father to a hospital in Sakleshpur town on Thursday evening.Taking an alternative ro ad f ull of potholes and slush would have worsened her father 's condition. Acting swiftly, Kavitha, Arkalgud town panchayat engineer, got down from t he car and rushed to a coffee planter's house.She borrowed a hacksaw from him and cleared the road in 20 minutes and rushed her 75-year-old father to the hospital where he is recov ering now.Kavitha's p arents live in Konthanamane village, 43km from Sak leshpur."My father KS Ramachandra hurt his leg after a fall on Tuesday. He had fractured the same leg a few years ago. As the mobile connectivity in the village is poor, my mother couldn't contact me. When I got to know about it on Thursday, I rushed to the village. There are two roads to reach my house from the main road. On my way home, I took the first one filled with slush and potholes. I got a mattock and repaired the road. Keeping my father's condition in mind, I decided to take the second road while going to the hospital. After travelling for 2km, I noticed an uprooted tree on the road. Since it was a narrow stretch, I couldn't risk reversing the vehicle. So I decided to cut the tree with the help of my cousin and the coffee plantation owner." Kavitha told TOI.She requested the authorities to repair the roads regularly so that villagers don't face such problems during emergency."Every day, Malnad villagers face these challenges. It is always villagers who clear the roads. Gram panchayats must be given the responsibility of maintaining village roads," said T Guruprasad, resident of Hettur in Sakleshpur.

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