KENDRAPARA: With Brahmani, Kharasrota and Kani rivers engulfing villages in Aul block, the fate of the people living there hangs in the balance.
Ratnakar Patra of Manikapatna village said some farmers in the area have lost their land, houses and orchards as the Brahmani river is gradually engulfing the village.
The plight of Chittaranjan Sahoo of Padanipala village depicts the fate in store for the villagers. The farmer, who owned three acres of land around three decades back, is now left with nothing as the Brahmani river has consumed it all.
Chittaranjan is not alone. The three rivers have already devoured large tracts of land and houses in Patrapur, Narendrapur, Manikaptana and Badaambila villages resulting in displacement of around 400 families.
Gajendra Parida of Gobindapur village said river erosion is not new to the area.
“What worries us most is its frequency and intensity which have increased in the recent past,” he said.
Gajendra said with rise in population, more people are moving towards agricultural land near the river banks and this makes them vulnerable to erosion.
Kani river has already devoured around 80 decimal of land belonging to Basudev Samal of Ichapur village.
Left with no option, he has given up agriculture and his two sons are working as plumbers in Hyderabad.
The river has also eroded large tracts of agricultural land in Narendrapur village.
“Several houses, including the village temple, are facing the threat of being wiped off as they are just 50 metres away from the river,” said Bijay Biswal, another villager.
Babaji Rout of Bijaynagar village said around 30 years back, Brahmani river was one km from the village.
“The river is moving closer to our village every year. The Government must construct a stone-packed embankment to save our village from getting washed away,” he said.
Babaji said the villagers do not want any assistance from the Government and have been seeking steps to check river erosion to save their land and houses.
He said officials have visited the village on several occasions but no preventive measures were taken to help its people.
Meanwhile, Executive Engineer of Aul Embankment Division Purnachandra Rath said, “We have already stone-packed river embankments in several villages after getting funds from NABARD.”
He said last year, the division had sent another proposal to NABARD for more funds to start stone-packing in the villages.
With rise in population, more people are moving towards agricultural land near the river banks and this makes them vulnerable to erosion.
Kani river has already devoured around 80 decimal of land belonging to a villager of Ichapur.
Brahmani river gradually inching closer towards Bijaynagar village.