CUTTACK: With rise in water level in Mahanadi river since Friday night, several villages in Banki block under Cuttack district have been cut off from the rest of the world. While communication on Subarnapur-Bindhanima road has been snapped due to overflow of three feet high floodwater on Hulu Hula bridge at Ghodabar, a temporary fair weather road which was reportedly constructed to facilitate reconstruction of a culvert was washed away due to gushing water from Mahanadi river into Ansupa lake at Anandpur, snapping communication between Subarnapur and Athagarh.
Similarly, communication between Shimilipur and Bilipada also remained cut off as the Kaian Nala bridge was submerged. River water has also inundated paddy and vegetable farmlands in Ratagarh, Bandala, Baunsaput, Kantapanhara gram panchayats.
Mahanadi inflow into tributary Rana Nadi has also resulted in inundation of vast paddy and vegetable farmlands in Bilipada, Shimilipur and Talabasta GPs.
“We fear of sustaining more loss due to inflow of the backwater of Rana Nadi as it is raining since Saturday,” said some farmers of the localities.
Meanwhile, communication on old Cuttack-Sambalpur road has remained cut off due to flow of water on the road near Nidhipur through Rampa Ghai. Locals attributed the situation to negligence on part of Water Resources department.
They alleged that the Rampa Ghai was opened during the flood in August.
“Later, the district administration directed the Water Resources department to close the area with sand bags and soil but the latter paid no heed. As a result, communication to Sambalpur and western Odisha through old Cuttack-Sambalpur road has been snapped,” they rued.
They urged the district administration to take necessary action on the issue.