Kendrapara (Odisha), Nov 15 (PTI) Villagers livingalong river banks in Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districtsfear losing their cattle grazing fields and burial grounds tothe state's new plantation drive 'Mission Green Mahanadi'.
The project, estimated to cost Rs 200 crore, aims atplanting over two crore saplings along the banks of Mahanadiand its tributaries to arrest soil erosion and improvebio-diversity.
The government's announcement had initially elicitedpositive reactions from people in the riverside villages. Butthe fear of losing out on their community utility land has nowmade some of them skeptical about the project.
"The project would definitely check soil erosion andhelp recharge ground water. The river embankments wouldreceive a natural buffer. In the long run, it will beimmensely beneficial to people living in flood- prone areas,"said Zilla Parishad member Ganesh Chandra Samal.
The residents of Tikapanga village in Kendrapara,however, want the government to protect their utility landbefore implementing the project.
"We welcome the plantation project. At the same timewe don't want to lose the village cremation ground or thegrazing fields. The government officials should provide analternative land before the drive gets underway," a Tikapangavillage resident said on the condition of anonymity.
The farmers in the catchment areas reap bumper cropsevery year. Vegetable cultivation is also abundantly done inthese plots after paddy cultivation.
"The landowners should be duly compensated (if theylose their plots)," Kanhu Charan Ojha of Gadaramita village inKendrapara said.
People living in the catchment areas of Jahanpurvillage in Jagatsinghpur district shared similarapprehensions.
While the massive plantation drive would go a long wayin checking soil erosion and strengthening embankments inflood-prone areas along the river, areas like cremation groundwould be lost in the process, said Mahendra Biswal, a residentof Jahanpur.
Therefore, the government should take necessary stepsfor making available land for community utility purpose, hesaid.
Compensation should also be provided to farmers whoare likely to be affected by the project, Biswal said.
The project is being implemented in view of the largerinterest of people in flood-prone villages. The governmentwould definitely look into the complaints of local people, ifthere was one, said Jagatsinghpur Collector Yamini Sadangi.
The first phase of the plantation drive would beundertaken on 200 sq km stretch in 2018-19, said a forestofficial. PTI SKN RMSMM.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.