Rayagada: The changing course of the Nagavali River has become a growing concern for residents of Rayagada town and nearby villages as the absence of complete protective embankments along its banks increases the risk of flooding and erosion.
Large sections of the riverbank remain exposed due to delays in embankment construction. Riparian residents, particularly in urban neighbourhoods and adjoining rural pockets, have expressed fear and frustration over the lack of progress.
Many years ago, the river veered toward the town and washed away a portion of land near the Raniguda area.
Since then, people living in this zone have remained anxious during every rainy season. Villages such as Dhumaguda and Mariguda on the opposite bank of the river also experience frequent erosion during monsoons.
Soil from both riverbanks is being washed away year after year, endangering homes, farmland, and infrastructure.
Last year, the Water Resources department began constructing a protective embankment along the rural side of the river, but the work remains incomplete. On the urban side, no such measure has been taken up.
With no embankment to act as a buffer, the river continues to eat into the town’s fringe, triggering further erosion and putting livelihoods at risk.
Assistant Engineer Durjyodhan Jani of the Water Resources department said stretches of the riverbank land in the urban zone are privately owned and must be acquired before construction can proceed.
He added that steps will be taken in the coming days to resolve this issue.
PNN
