CUTTACK: Communication has been disrupted across Banki, Dampada, Tigiria and Badamba blocks of Cuttack district owing to inundation of several areas by floodwaters of Mahanadi river.
As per reports, the Hulu Hula nullah bridge in Banki has been completely submerged as a result of which the Subarnapur-Bindhanima road has been completely cut off. Around six gram panchayats of Ratagarh, Bandalo, Baunsaputa and Ostia in Banki block, and Badanauputa and Hatamala in Tigiria block have also been severely affected.
Similarly, communication along the Banki-Talabasta road via Similipur has also been snapped due to the floodwaters flowing near Kainanala. In Dampada, two villages Kaimundi and Charigharia under Pathapur panchayat have been cut off owing to four feet high floodwater flowing on the connecting roads. This apart, hundreds of acres of farmland in the three blocks of Banki, Dampada, Tigiria are also submerged under water.
At around 10 pm on Wednesday, floodwater from the Mahanadi river entered the sanctum sanctorum (Garba Gruha) of Maa Bhattarika temple in Badamba block. However, the rituals were not affected as the temple administration shifted the idol of the presiding deity to a safer location atop the adjacent Ratnagiri hill.
Chief priest Sirisha Rana said the deity’s idol, Her clothes, ornaments, furniture and articles associated with the goddess have been shifted to the ‘Rasa Ghara’ adjacent to ‘Rosa Ghara’ of the temple located on the hilltop to ensure uninterrupted conduct of rituals.
Till reports last came in, the temple was still submerged under four to five feet water. As a public safety measure, the local administration has issued order restricting devotees’ access to the riverbank and premises of Maa Bhattarika, Lord Singhanath and Lord Dhabaleswar shrines till the next 48 hours or until further orders. A senior official of the Revenue department said they have mobilised power boats to the stranded villages to facilitate communication.
