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| Elementary school students assisted by TNI-Polri to cross the river. (Photo: Sindonews). |
Elementary school students in Siron Blang Village, Aceh Besar District, are forced to cross a river that is a habitat for crocodiles to go to school. They are forced to cross this access because there is no connecting bridge between villages. Village Secretary Siron Blang Anwar said that every day elementary school students cross the river by betting their lives in a location where crocodiles often appear.
“They crossed a 25-meter-long river like this has been done by students and residents for almost two years,” said Anwar in Aceh Besar District, Friday (20/2/2021). This was done because the bridge access previously built by the government was cut off and destroyed by the flood. Meanwhile, the assistance for crossing equipment is only provided for four months, which is why residents have to cross the river.
The Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) has posted pamphlets notifying the dangers of crocodiles. However, residents have no other alternative at this time.
Apart from being prone to crocodiles, the river also has heavy currents when it rains heavily. This condition makes residents unable to go to school when the river overflows.