KENDRAPARA: Inhabitants of five gram panchayats on the Luna-Karandia river island are facing an imminent threat of erosion and they know they can’t escape the inevitable. With Luna and Karandia rivers devouring their land at an accelerated pace, it is only a matter of time that their villages will disappear, literally.
In the recent years, the erosion has assumed an alarming proportion causing experts to predict that Luna may change its course, altering the geographical map of the river island. Chittaranjan Sahoo of Nankar said, “Luna has already crept around one km towards our village in the last two decades. The river is gradually inching closer and eventually, our village will disappear entirely.”
When the erosion process slowly advances and continues over the years, the river width increases gradually. Both the rivers have already devoured vast tracts of agricultural land including houses in Balisingh Srutipur, Dihabasapur, Aitipur, Purusottampur, Jalapoka and other villages.
Many farmers have become landless within a decade due to the erosion. Now, the rivers seem to be eyeing homestead lands. Mohan Mallick of Jalapok was the owner of two acre land a decade back. Now, he is a landless person and working as a daily wager at Kendrapara town to sustain his family. Similarly, another villager Alok Sahoo has shifted his house twice in the last 10 years due to Luna river. His homestead land is now under threat of erosion.
Secretary of Luna-Karandia Development Society Amiya Jena informed that if the erosion continues at this pace, over 5,000 families will become homeless within a few years. Besides, erosion is posing a threat to around six schools, 10 temples and the public health centre at Nankar village.
Former sarpanch of Jalapoka Ajaya Rout said, “We have urged the district administration to stone-pack the 30 km long river embankment to protect the villages from the onslaught of Luna river several times in the past. But so far, embankment has been built with stones only on 10-km stretch.”
Contacted, executive engineer of the Irrigation department Prabodha Rout said, “The authorities have already stone-packed river embankments at many places. All the embankments will be protected from the onslaught of rivers with stones this year.”