Baliapal: Continuous erosion of the banks of the Subarnarekha river at its mouth near the Dagara beach in the Baliapal block of Balasore district poses a serious threat to Kankadapal village and the villagers are in panic. In the last few years, people here have lost acres of farms and houses.
The village had 327 families. Over the years, 127 families lost their homestead and farmland to the ever advancing river. Now, 200 families fear that they would be washed away by the river.
Reports said the Irrigation Department had drawn up a master plan for 1500-metre stone packing of the river bank to protect the village. Rs 15 crore was sanctioned for this, but only Rs 3 crore was released.
The department has so far done stone packing for 400 metres. The rest was abandoned due to shortage of funds.
A week ago Basta MLA Nityananda Sahu visited the area and laid the foundation stone for the remaining work. During the rainy season, stone packing of banks and spur construction were required, but the work failed to progress due to the monsoon.
About 90 per cent of the villagers depend on fishing. Now they have demanded stacking of sand bags along the banks to check erosion.
On the other hand, the proposal to build a port at the Subarnarekha river’s mouth has been opposed by many. They give more importance to immediate steps for protecting the river bank.
During high tides the sea gushes through the river’s mouth and enters Kankadapal village.
Subala Mohanty, a villager, recalled that the river was once two km away from the village, but now it is advancing towards it. His house was washed away thrice in the past. Now his family lives on the land of another villager.
In the last five years, 130 families including those of Laxmikant Das, Shyam Giri, Babula Mohanty, Purna Mohanty and Kanhu Mohanty lost their houses to the river.
Mahnedra Patra had two acres near his house. Now there is no trace of the land. Only 10 decimals of land is left. Villagers said that in case of a major flood the village will face devastation.
Another problem pointed out by the villagers is that the mouth of the river is silted, and nothing has been done to dredge it.
Irrigation Department Assistant Executive Engineer Jaykrushna Behera said funds have been sanctioned again for stone packing of the banks, and it will be done soon.
PNN