Post News Network
Balasore, May 30: The change of course of river Budhabalanga over the last few years has posed serious threats to over 60 riparian villages under Sadar block of this district.
The river has already submerged over 200 acres of farmlands in panchayats like Buanla, Parikhi, Sindhia, Gopinathpur and Ulandasargao.
Srushtidhar Jana, a local resident, rues he has lost over two acres of his land to the advancing river. Jana used to cultivate chilly, vegetables, watermelons and generate a handsome income but now he has lost his livelihood to the river.
The case of Laxmidhar Mahalik is also similar. He has lost 32 decimal of land to the river.
Besides, over 100 acres of land belonging to over 30 persons including those of Prafulla Bhuyan, Gangadhar Lenka, Kesu Mohan Das and Bhagwat Jena of Sindhia village have been submerged by the river.
About one and half acres of land of Niranjan Nayak have also been swallowed by the river. Nayak had complained about it at tehsil office and irrigation department, but in vain.
The menacingly advancing river has even touched the limits of Remuna block.
The degree of soil erosion can be gauged from the fact that on an average Budhablanga is eroding 10-15 metre of its banks every year. The river was flowing over 500 metre away from the riparian villages 30 years ago. With this rate of erosion, it can’t be ruled out that the river will take a long time to eat all riparian villages, experts say.
In rainy season, villagers remain tensed when the river burst into its seams. Residents have repeatedly taken up the matter with the district administration and their people’s representatives, but no step has been taken in this regard.
The villagers have been demanding stone-packing of the river banks.
The department concerned carried out stone-packing of river embankments from Kudia to Kudiapada villages in two phases in 2002 and 2006.
Locals say soon after the stone packing, the river eroded banks on a long stretch causing panic among the people.
Social activist Rabinarayan Mohapatra said the river banks need to be stone-packed.
Locals have submitted memoranda several times to the irrigation department, which had apprised the district collector of the matter in 2010 and 2011.
When contacted, executive engineer of the department, Rajkishore Ghadei, said he was well aware of the problem and action will be taken soon to sort out the problem of the villagers.
A project proposal of `3.33 crore has been sent to a technical advisory committee, which has approved the proposal, he said.
Meanwhile, Nabard has agreed to fund the project and financial aid may be made available in the current year. Stone-packing work will be carried out as soon as funds are available, he added.
However, villagers said as long as stone-packing is not done, they will remain in panic.
