BALASORE: Residents of Gopalpur, Rajnagar and other adjoining villages in Jaleswar of Balasore district are living in fear after lease holders of West Bengal reportedly began erecting walls in the Subarnarekha river, thus changing the course of the water body towards their habitation.
Villagers said the lease holders were doing so to facilitate lifting of sand from the area. As per sources, these lease holders began erecting the walls 20 days back and have till now constructed around 15 such walls in the river. While they claim they have received permission from the West Bengal government to lift sand from the area, residents of Gopalpur and Rajnagar said the locality comes under Odisha.
Villagers complained that the sand walls led to change in course of the river towards their areas besides facilitating illegal lifting of sand by the mafia who then transported them to West Bengal. They alleged though the area comes under Odisha, neither the state government nor the district administration does anything to stop such illegal practices.
“Since the river has begun changing its course towards our habitation, our land, houses and other properties are at risk. We are already facing immense financial issues due to floods every year but this new problem has now added to our woes,” they rued.
Villagers said around 75 pillars were erected in presence of officials of both the states to demarcate Odisha-West Bengal border after Sudarshan Das, a social worker filed a petition with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in this connection. However some places were left out as the Subarnarekha river flows through them, they added.
Das said the matter needs to be urgently taken care of for betterment of the two states. “Since both the state governments haven’t been paying any heed, these mafia are taking advantage of the situation and illegally lifting sand leading to loss in crores of revenue,” he said.
The villagers further informed that the West Bengal government had allowed lease holders to lift sand from the river near Bemula village which comes under Datan of West Midnapore district. A joint survey by both Odisha and West Bengal governments was conducted in 2017 on the area which revealed the place had already submerged under the river.
“Since the lease holders are unable to lift sand from the said location at Datan, they are forcibly entering Odisha and illegally lifting sand by constructing walls,” villagers said.
Balasore collector Ashish Thakare said he will look into the matter as soon as possible.