Kendrapara: Days after cyclonic storm Amphan left behind a trail of destruction in Kendrapara district, residents are now concerned over flood threat as monsoon draws near, a report said.
The monsoon season is likely to begin in the month of June which is just few days away. The residents’ concern over flood stems from the fact that many of the rivers in the district are not well guarded by proper embankments. This apart, the need to dug up the riverbeds, repairing of the embankments and construction of new embankments have been overlooked which exacerbate flood condition every year.
Lack of embankments in many rivers poses serious flood threat to residents of 55 panchayats in the district. Few days back, the cyclonic storm Amphan caused much destruction in the district which the residents will hardly forget. The flood apart from destroying properties and human lives also destroyed crops and the flora and fauna in the district.
According to the Irrigation department, nine panchayats each in Marshaghai and Mahakalapara blocks, 16 in Aul block, 14 in Pattamundai block, four in Rajnagar block, two in Derabish block and one in Garadpur block are flood prone. The district Irrigation department and Aul embankment department have been reiterating that they are watchful on flood but the district gets flooded every year.
A senior resident Banambar Sahu said that rivers like Luna, Chitrotpala, Paika, Mahanadi, Birupa, Brahmani, Gobari flows through the district. In the event of heavy rain Gobari, Mahanadi, Brahmani and Kharasrota rivers overflow and submerge a large number of villages. This is happening because the state government is yet to implement the river embankment projects in Mahanadi, Brahmani and Kharasrota for which lakhs of people fall prey to flood every year.
Environmentalist Hemant Kumar Rout said that rising tidal waves also cause equal destruction in the human habitations along with flood and cyclones. Many villages get inundated at the slightest occurrence of flood.
Residents in over 50 villages in Rajkanika and Aul blocks, 34 in Rajnagar, 25 in Pattamundai block have become the perennial victims of flood. The situation aggravates in case of a major flood leading to deluge of 132 villages in Garadpur block, 76 in Marshaghai block and seven villages in Mahakalapada block.
Matrudutt Mohanty, president of social outfit ‘Voice of Kendrapara’ said that the state government should work out a scheme to make use of the fresh water of rivers as drinking water and for cultivation instead of discharging them into sea. Moreover, the state government should lay more stress on river water management and make use of the excess water of flood than on rehabilitation and compensation. The problem can be solved if a river linking project is taken up in the district, he added.
When contacted, sub-collector Jyoti Shankar Mohapatra said the district administration is laying stress on strengthening of the river embankments and proper discharge of the flood water.
PNN
