Paradip: The practice of constructing enclosures below bamboo fences (locally called ‘adabada’) in the rivers by fishermen has been blamed for storm water collecting even after a brief spell of rain in six slums of Paradip municipality and six panchayats.
Once there were 57 rivers and rivulets in and around Paradip, including prominent rivers like Kaudia, Majhidia, Patakana, Haladipani, Shamukatimunda, Kapilajor, Batanadi and Saharapentha Matsyadia near Sandhakuda.
However, some of these are rivers only by names. While Kapilajor river, which flowed through the town, has already vanished, Batanadi has been reduced to a mere pond at PPL Square. Human settlements and industries around Batanadi river have proved to be a bane for it. Similarly, there is no sign of Shamukatimunda river.
Saharapentha Matsyadia river still flows into the Bay of Bengal. The Orissa High Court as well as the state government has allowed fishermen from 101 nearby villages to catch fish in this river. Every year, fishermen’s organisations deposit tax at Kujang tehsil office to allow them to fish in the river. Later, they are allowed to catch fish in particular areas of the river depending on the border of their villages.
After obtaining the fishing rights, fishermen put up fence-like structures with bamboo to mark their respective areas.
What has made matters worse is that the fishermen set up enclosures below these bamboo fences with polythene and rear fish in those enclosed spaces. The polythene sheets are tied to the bamboo poles in such a way that they are not visible from above. Saharapentha Matsyadia river is about 60 metres to 80 metres in width. After preparing enclosures, only 10 metres of the river is left free where they catch fish using nets. Catching fish using nets is only a smokescreen to hoodwink officials of the illegal fish farming.
“There are seven such bamboo fences in the river. And they obstruct the free flow of storm water into the river,” said Alekh Behera, a fisherman.
Sharing his opinion, another fisherman Alok Rout said, “The government asks the fishermen to dismantle the bamboo fences before the rainy season. But nobody follows the orders. The villagers facing water logging problem every year are not aware of this fact. Kujang tehsil is responsible for inspecting whether the fences are removed or not. But the tehsil is hardly discharging its duty.”
When asked, tehsildar Preetiparna Mishra said, “We had visited the fishermen’s villages and directed them to dismantle the fences. The administration has already started an eviction drive there since last Friday.”
Water accumulated due to incessant rainfall recently is still standing in the villages under Paradip municipality area, forcing people to wade through it. In the past, the villagers, as well as the residents of Balijhara and Bauriapalanda slums in ward No 5 and 6 of Paradip municipality, have staged several road blocks demanding steps to end their sufferings for good. Every time they stage a demonstration, officers from the municipality come to them and ask them to call off the strike, assuring them of action. However, nothing has been done so far in this regard, they alleged.
Incidentally, the villagers are not aware that they are actually suffering due to the fishermen’s illegal practice of creating underwater enclosures.
PNN