KENDRAPARA: The Kendrapara division of the Water Resources department has recently sent a proposal to the state government to give the Gobari ariver a facelift at a cost of Rs 701 crore.
Superintending engineer of the department’s drainage division Bijay Sethy said renovation work will begin after getting the administrative nod and financial approval. According to the proposal, the banks of the 113-km-long river will be renovated. The project will include cleaning, widening and dredging to maintain the river’s cross-section for flood mitigation and navigation, he said.
Besides, bank protection and regular maintenance measures will be implemented to provide a lasting solution to the issues faced by riverside villages. Fishermen and local residents will greatly benefit from the river’s restoration, Sethy added.
Gobari river originates from Mahanga in Cuttack district and flows 91 km through Kendrapara before joining the Bay of Bengal at Jamboo. However, it is now covered with weeds and has turned into a nullah due to years of neglect.
Sources said the river has suffered significant degradation over the years. Gobari has shrunk in several areas due to land encroachment while rampant garbage dumping has worsened its condition.
Social worker of Kendrapara Amarbar Biswal said local residents have been demanding the renovation of Gobari river for over three decades. Inadequate water flow in the river is gradually harming the agriculture and environment of around 220 riverside villages, home to nearly three lakh people. Farmers are the worst affected as they struggle with irrigation due to lack of water, he said.
“The river and its adjacent canals are drying up, threatening water-based biodiversity and fisheries resources. In many stretches, the river is virtually dead due to blocked water flow. People will now heave a sigh of relief as the authorities are finally planning Gobari’s revival,” Biswal added.