Has fencing nets at River Ghats in Kendrapara prevented crocodile attack? A report

Kendrapara: The fencing nets have been erected at the River Ghats in Kendrapara district of Odisha to prevent crocodile attack. Yet, in the last two months as many as five deaths have been reported in this district due to crocodile attack. What is the present condition of the fencing nets erected by the Forest Department in the River Ghats? How much it has secured human life. Here is a ground zero report on this.

In the last 2 months, as many as 5 people have been killed in Kendrapada district due to crocodile attack. This has caused panic among the riverside people.

However, despite the fear the locals of this area are bound to depend on the river for different chores in the absence of any alternative arrangement for them. However, at present it has been seen that the fence nets have been broken at many river Ghats. As a result in many river Ghats there is no security measures to protect humans from falling victim to crocodile attack.

From children to adults, many people depend on the Rivers here for getting cleaned after defecating. Also women wash their utensils here while huge crocodiles are often witnessed floating in the river water. Even seldom crocodiles venture to the land adjacent to the river. This is the case in the Brahmani and Kharasrota Rivers in Kendrapra district.

It has been claimed that drinking water is an acute problem in this area. And hence people rely on the river for drinking water even if they are afraid of crocodiles.

On the other hand, fences were built at the riverbanks at the cost of lakhs of rupees, but within 2/4 months, they are broken down.

Nityanand Patra of Badajoramuha village in Rajkanika area was taking bath in the river inside the wire fence in the evening of May 1 last year. But he was attacked by a crocodile. Now that fence is down. And hence, there is growing dissatisfaction among the people.

Similarly, on July 16, 2021, a young man died in crocodile attack in Sahupada village of Aul Block. Thirteen people have already died in Aul and Rajkanika river basins in the last five years due to crocodile attacks. On the other hand, 24 crocodiles have already died in human attacks.

Kharasrota, Brahmani, Baitarani and Chitrotpala river basins of Kendrapada district have more than 150 villages. There are more than 450 river Ghats. Out of this, 120 rivers have been fenced by the forest department. Now more than half of this fence is destroyed.

According to the local people, the construction of barbed wire fences at the river Ghats will not prevent the terror of crocodiles. The Forest Department has been repeatedly informed about this.

Crocodiles turn violent and venture to the rivers in the mating season. The forest department said that street plays are being organized to make people aware about this.

In the man-crocodile fight, sometimes humans are getting killed and at some other time crocodiles are being killed. Human needs drag them to the river where they fall victim to crocodile attack. Similarly, crocodiles often come out of the water and they are killed by people.

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Fencing nets at River Ghats in Kendrapara prevented crocodile attack? Report