Bhograi: River Subarnarekha flows between Bhograi and Baliapal blocks of Balasore district. As there are no bridges here thousands of people in villages of the two blocks have been facing commuting problems.
Reports said the people of 32 panchayats in the two blocks depend on boat services at a number of ghats including those of West Bengal like the Kanthi, Ramnagar, Digha and Panparula ghats.
These ghats are in a precarious condition as they lack necessary infrastructure and facilities. Travelling by boats here is risky while the administration has not undertaken any measures to solve this problem.
If bridges are built at some crucial ghats the distance between the villages will be shortened by several times.
For example, the distance between Chandaneswar and Balasore is 92 km by land. But it is only 16 km if people are ferried at the Pantei ghat. Over 10,000 people depend on this ghat.
Locals alleged that the administration gets lakhs of rupees by auctioning this ghat, but no basic facilities have been put in place. This year the Pantei ghat was leased out for Rs 12 lakh.
Two motorized boats operate at this ghat. Their carrying capacity is less than 14 tonnes. But they carry loads of over 50 tonnes per trip. About 20 to 25 bikes, 15 to 20 bicycles, and 40 to 50 passengers are ferried on a boat.
There are allegations that the ghat auctions are manipulated and local leaders, brokers and revenue officials get huge cuts.
Another illegal ferry ghat is at Choumukhi. People use the ghat to visit Bhusandheswar Mahadev shrine where the largest Shiva Lingam of Asia is located.
Life jackets are not used at the two ferry ghats. This has put the lives of passengers at risk. Though the people have drawn the attention of the administration towards these lapses, nothing is being done, it was learnt.
PNN