CUTTACK: Irate residents of villages in Mahanga block of Cuttack district dug up a road to release floodwater from their localities on Tuesday. Locals dug up a portion of Mahanga-Chhotipada road constructed under Mukhya Mantri Sadak Yojana to drain out water that had inundated several villages nearby for the last six days.
Earlier, residents of Kalianti village had dug up the main road connecting Mirjapatana under Kusupur gram panchayat to release floodwater from their locality. This had led to a tussle between residents of the two villages. Flash flood in Gobari, Maijara and Sukanai rivulets has marooned 69 villages of 27 gram panchayats in Mahanga block affecting around 9,500 people.
The affected people termed the flash flood as manmade and attributed its cause to illegal ‘gheris’ constructed in the area. They said over 10 illegal gheris have been constructed at Baradia, Jankothi, Kanhupur, Usuma, Haribhaktapur and Lalitgiri villages and this has obstructed the flow of Gobari rivulet which is the main drainage system of Salepur and Mahanga localities.
Though farmers had been urging the local administration to remove the illegal gheris, no action has yet been taken in this regard. The villagers have threatened to hit the streets if the gheries are not removed soon. Meanwhile, Mahanga tehsildar said it is the responsibility Cuttack Drainage Division to initiate action against the illegal prawn gheris.