Post News Network
Nabarangpur/Kosagumuda/Kodinga, Sept 17: The joy of farmers of Nabarangpur district following low pressure-induced rain is proving to be short-lived with a heavy downpour inundating several parts of southern Orissa, with this district bearing the brunt of the flash floods that have occurred as a result.
Farmers of Kosagumuda block are however directing their ire towards a barrage on river Indravati in Chhattisgarh near the state border, which they say is squarely to blame for the current flood situation in the district.
According to reports, Ghatabasuli is the confluence of Indravati and Bhaskal, which is a tributary of the former. The confluence is barely a few metres away from the Chhattisgarh border. The neighbouring state had constructed a barrage in 2009-10 on the river. Besides, the Chhattisgarh administration also decided to increase the heights of its roads under the PMGSY scheme along both sides of the river. This has not only prevented free flow of floodwater at upper catchment areas, but has also resulted in excess rainwater overflowing into several villages of the district.
People of Kosagumuda block have faced the fury of the floods every year ever since the barrage was made operational. Though Chhattisgarh’s ambitious attempt was vehemently opposed by locals, neither did the district administration nor did the state government pay any attention to resolving the issue. In 2010, hundreds of houses were damaged with 29 villages remaining cut-off from the mainland for four days.
At present, people of 18 revenue villages of the block have found themselves stranded in floodwaters. The villages include – Ghatachura, Ghatabasuli, Tikarachura, Anlabhata, Bayapujariguda, Miriguda, Kantasaruguda, Saruguda, and Gumandali among others. Similarly, 112 houses have been partially damaged while 15 sustained medium damage with another two being flattened.
The road connecting Kosagumuda block headquarters and Chhattisgarh has been washed out with several acres of farmland coming under knee-deep water. Similarly, communication in the area has been disrupted due to overflowing of water on Badamasigaon-Rajoda road. The bridge near Badamasigaon has also come under floodwater while the Sirishi Gaon road has been completely washed out. The bitumen roads connecting the bridge have also been significantly damaged.
People of the affected villages were provided flattened rice and molasses while a 15-member medical team of the health and animal husbandry departments are touring affected areas to take stock of the situation. District officials have been asked to submit an hourly report on flood situation.
While a delayed monsoon disrupted cultivation, the flood situation has only added to the woes of the farmer community, sources said.