Balasore: The rising threat of soil erosion in the aftermath of the havoc wreaked by the cyclonic storm Titli has been giving sleepless nights to people of riverside villages located close to Subarnarekha river that flows through Balasore district.
While embankments along the Subarnarekha river were awaiting renovation as they were on the verge of collapse, some portions have been washed away in the torrential rain, further weakening them.
Villagers fear the embankments may cave in anytime soon, eroding villages close to its mouth.
As per government records, around 30 families of Rashalpur village under Bishnupur panchayat of Baliapal block have been rendered homeless due to erosion in the past five years. However, no steps have been taken to construct concrete embankments to prevent erosion by Subarnarekha. Locals feared more families would be affected by erosion.
Moreover, the river is also eroding villages located close to its mouth near Dagara beach in Baliapal block. Kankadapal village is the worst-hit where people have already lost several acres of croplands and houses to the river. The village had 327 families a decade back but 127 of them have lost their homestead lands and agricultural fields to the river that is menacingly inching closer to land.
Villagers said Test Relief Embankments (TREs), which were constructed with a height of one to two metres, are not able to check river water and have been damaged in last year’s flood. However, these structures are yet to be repaired.
Apparently, erosion is reported from this stretch of the river every year. In 2008, the Water Resources department drew the attention of both state and central governments towards the need of embankment construction on the 30-km stretch but no action was taken.
Bhogria MLA and Minister for Higher Education Ananta Das said after the 2006 floods, a proposal under Subarnarekha Sanskar Yojana was placed before the Centre for construction of embankments, stone packing on both sides of Subarnarekha river and renovation of the river mouth. The project would have cost Rs 960 crore. “However, the Centre has been sitting on the proposal ever since,” he added.
PNN