TV
People in Kaduani under Nilagiri block in Balasore district are at their wits’ end as they are now battling an invasion of flies that has made their lives a living nightmare. The villagers have been tormented by relentless swarms of houseflies for months, with some so fed up that they contemplate leaving the village.
Residents attributed the problem to two chicken farms in the village. The locals allege that they are unable to eat meals without the insects landing on their food.
“We’re in this situation where we just have flies everywhere and it’s really affecting our mental health,” a woman shared.
“There is not a single day that goes without a fight in the families because of these flies. We cannot even live inside our own house. All we want is to live peacefully. This is all because of the two chicken farms near the village. So, we want the chicken farms to be closed permanently,” alleged a woman.
Similarly, another woman said, “The situation is so bad that we cannot eat properly. The flies are literally everywhere. We cannot even cook as our kitchens are filled with flies. As a result, people are getting infections and other diseases. To make matters worse, the poultry farms are dumping all the waste in open fields near the village.”
“We have to eat by putting mosquito nets. Other times, we eat in the dark. The situation is worse. Relatives and friends who visit us get fed up and don’t like to stay here. People have to cover their heads and face with towels to escape the flies,” alleged another villager.
After learning about the bizarre incident, Balasore lawmaker Pratap Sarangi visited the village and took stock of the situation.
“Just because of the two chicken farms, the lives of villagers here and neighbouring villages have turned into a nightmare. This is a public nuisance and the farm owners need to be arrested. They are just carelessly dumping dead chickens and other wastes in open fields,” Sarangi said.
