Sonepur/ Boudh: The Subarnapur district of Odisha is surrounded with Rivers and canals. The district has Rivers like Mahanadi, Tel, Ang and Nibiriti. People of this district depend on these rivers and these rivers are the source of income in many ways for most of the people. However, with the coming of the rainy days, things turn opposite. The people living on the banks of these rivers get worried because every year they face small or big floods.
It has been alleged that no arrangements have been made to protect the villages from floods. There are only a few places, where measures have been taken. Hence, people are in panic with the fear of getting affected by floods again.
Similarly, in Boudh district, the situation is almost same due to Mahanadi and Telnadi. Many farmlands have been submerged in the river.
People of more than 60 villages on Telnadi and Mahanadi banks in Boudh district are worried now. Protection walls have not been constructed on both Telnadi and Mahanadi at many places. Hence, the people of these villages are spending sleepless nights expecting flood woes.
Kumursingha village is located in Birmaharajpur block of Subarnapur district. To protect the village from the flood, a safety wall had been erected on the river bank less than three years ago. However, due to poor construction work the wall has started to collapse. Hence, the villagers are worried.
Mahanadi is flowing in Subarnapur district. In this district the left River bank is about 68 km while the right bank is about 40 km. There are many villages in the river bank.
When there is a flood, about 84 villages like Binika, Gulapada, Jharapada, Gariapali and Pandkital in Binka block, Lamtul, Kapasira, Didimal and Badhali of Ulunda block, Khambeswaripali, Nuapali, Buroghat, Nuagarh, Phulchara, Kumursingha and Duleswar in Birmaharajpur block situated on the bank of River Mahanadi get affected.
Yet, the water resources department has not yet set up safety fences to protect from floods. Protection wall are yet to be erected in many villages. And hence, the village people are shifted to other places by the administration once flood comes.
In Boudh district, the Tel River flows for a distance of about 60 km starting from Khuntigora to Manmunda. Similarly, the Mahanadi flows for about 100 km from Manmunda to Marada.
More than 40 villages of 15 panchayats on the Mahanadi River bank and 20 villages on the banks of Telnadi are now in danger. Every year, during rainy days, the water level rises in Mahanadi creating ghai.
Since, the flood water enters into the villages a number of farmland as well as houses get destroyed by floodwaters. When heavy and incessant rain occurs, the people living along the riverbanks get worried about their livelihood.
The villages like Ghantapada, Malikuda, Tambasina, Gambharipadar, Gabjor, Tundumal and Manamunda are now in danger due to Telnadi.
There is a danger for the river side people due to lack of permanent stone fence. Besides, due to the low quality work, in most cases it gets washed away by the flood.
People of the district have raised voice many times for its permanent solution. But till today there is no permanent remedy.
As a result, the displeasure of the people of the district has reached its peak.
Stone patching and protection walls have been constructed at some places along the banks of the river, but due to lack of maintenance, they have fallen into disrepair.
It has been feared that more than a hundred villages are going to be submerged in both Telnadi and Mahanadi as there is no permanent stone wall. Last year, Rs 10 crore was spent on stone packing in Mahanadi and Rs 7 crore in Telnadi. Later, they are washed away in rain.
Boudh district has Telnadi on one side and Mahanadi on the other side. Every year, 30 to 40 meters of shore is washed away during rainy days. As a result, many families and houses get destroyed.
Measures to protect from flood have been done by the district water resources department. But it is very less. On the other hand, District Planning Board Chairman and Kantamal MLA said that there is a proposal to build stone embankments and protection walls for flood control in both Mahanadi and Tel Rivers.
The executive officer of the water resources department said, “There is no reason to fear as proposals have been made for construction of protection walls and stone patching work at various places of Mahanadi.”
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Ms Kalinga