KENDRAPARA: Panic has gripped the seaside villages of Kendrapara district as tidal waves caused extensive damage to agriculture land in at least two blocks due to a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal.
The tidal waves have transgressed the weak saline embankments at several strategic points inundating crops in Praharajpur, Olasahi, Sasanapeta, Naukana, Gupti, Bheda, Talachua, Rangani, Suniti,, Amarabati, Gumara, Rajendranagar, Pravati, Banipala, Batighar, Badatubi and Sanatubi villages.
According to reports, over 2,000 hectares of agriculture fields were salinised with tidal waves spilling over in Kansarbadadandua and Jamboo villages under Mahakalapada block. Similar ingress of seawater was reported in parts of Pentha, Tantiapala and other villages under Rajnagar block as tidal waves got the better of the saline embankment’s weak points.
Incessant rains due to low pressure have also exposed the sub-standard construction of road and other works in the rehabilitation colony at Bagapatia for sea-erosion hit Satabhaya. “The village roads, which were built just nine months ago, shows the enormity of corruption and inefficiency in the roads and building department”, said Sudrashan Rout of Bagapatia.
Rajnagar tehsildar Nihar Ranjan Mallick said Bagapatia is a low lying area as a result of which overflowing rain water stagnates in the colony. He said the district administration has earmarked `3 lakh to build houses for 571 families of Satabhaya after covering the low lying areas with earth.“We will soon build concrete roads in Bagapatia”, said the tehsildar. Jagabandhu Rout, former chairman of Rajnagar block, said around 45 sluice gates and a major portion of the saline embankments in the seaside villages of Rajnagar and Mahakalapada blocks are on verge of collapse.