Tidal waves make approach into seaside villages in Odisha, submerge farmland

By Express News Service

KENDRAPARA: Panic gripped coastal pockets of the district after excessive tidal waves entered seaside villages on Tuesday night time inflicting intensive injury to agriculture land. Tidal waves breached the weak saline embankments at six strategic factors inundating Nanjura, Pankapla, Tubi, Nipania, Kausapal, Gumara, Rajendranagr, Banipala and different seaside villages. Over 10,000 hectare (ha) of agriculture fields had been submerged in seawater because of the tidal ingress. Similar ingress of seawater was reported in elements of Bagapatia and Tantiapala villages.

Ranjan Mandal of Tubi stated many farmers had sown paddy seeds and transplanted saplings two months again. Their hopes of crop had been dashed after seawater entered their fields because of the broken saline embankment. The excessive tide additionally inundated 12 homes in Satabhaya village. Ajambar Mallick (57) had constructed a three-room thatched home 4  years again after his previous hut was devoured by the ocean. But on Tuesday night time, his home was washed away by the tidal ingress. Four different villagers additionally confronted the same destiny. 

“My mud-walled house was razed to the ground. Three years back, the government rehabilitated 577 families of Satabhaya at Bagapatia. However, officials are yet to allot any land to me at the rehabilitation colony in Bagapatia due to which I am forced to reside in Satabhaya,” Ajambar complained. Satabhaya panchayat in Rajnagar block is among the worst-hit by sea erosion. Once a cluster of seven villages, solely a small portion of it stays now. Six villages have already disappeared into the ocean. 

Farmer chief and president of the district unit of Krushak Sabha Umesh Chandra Singh stated seawater typically enters coastal villages  as a result of lack of upkeep of the saline embankments. “Many prawn farm owners have illegally damaging the embankments to allow flow of saline water into their gheris to breed shrimps but the authorities are yet to take any action against them,” he alleged. Contacted, an official of saline embankment division of Aul stated the breaches will probably be mended quickly.