Jagatsinghpur, August 17, (Odisha.in) Balikuda legislator Umesh Chandra Swain has threatened to gherao state secretariat if the government does not take steps to clear water logging caused by the recent rains and floods in his constituency.
More than 80 revenue villages in his constituency he alleged are facing the problem of water logging. The rain waters have submerged paddy field, and villages affecting more than 6,000 families in the area, Swain told Odisha.in.
Paddy crops in more than 15 .000 hectares of agriculture lands have also been damaged, he said.
Neither district administration nor irrigation department have taken any permanent steps for the release of rain and flood water which most of the time during rainy days play havoc with the lives of people in Balikuda, Tirtol and Erasama blocks, he said.
Rain water in Balikuda, Tirtol and Erasama areas are being released through Hansua River and Jatadhari mouth. Hansua River has been gradually got silted and chocked due to formation of sand heaps in many places.
One drainage system was constructed at Kanpada of Hanusa River in 1970 and joined this drainage at Alaka River in Chardmal village of Balikuda block.
Without digging the Hansua River, or not clearing slit and sand heaps, irrigation department constructed this faulty drainage system that he alleged is contributing to the water logging.
Hanusa River is situated on the height of Alaka River therefore seventy percent of rain and flood water has not been released. Non releases of flood and rain water through these two Rivers have inundated many areas, he alleged.
Because of the water logging agricultural activities have come to a standstill. Large numbers of people who depend on paddy cultivations have started migrating to other place in search of job, he alleged.
Similarly, cows, bullocks and other domestic animals are also living in starving conditions due to shortage of straw, grass which are under water.
If the problems are not solved the local people will gherao state secretariats, he said.
Odisha.in