Flood Fear For Cuttack! Rampant Sand Mining Forces Mahanadi To Gobble Up Bank

Cuttack: Colossal erosion along Mahanadi riverbed in Pinpur area under Niashcintakoili block of Cuttack district has triggered flood fear among the villagers.

Locals allege rampant sand mining along the riverbank as the prime reason behind the acute erosion in the area. They also claim that the river has also changed its course in the last few years.

Informed about the matter, the district authorities have started filling sandbags along riverbank as a temporary solution to tackle any possible flood threat in the ongoing monsoon season. However, the villagers have demanded a permanent solution for the issue.

“People who had taken the ghats on lease have been extensively carrying out sand mining here since the last five years. Even after the villagers stopped them, they have been continuing excavation by deploying heavy machines,” alleged a local of Pinpur, Sanjit Parija.

“I have lost 20 decimal of land due to the erosion along riverbank. If the corrosion continues, our farmland and houses will also go underwater. I appeal the concerned authorities to complete the sandbag filling soon and come up with a permanent solution at the earliest,” said another local resident, Durgacharan Das.

On the other hand, the Assistant Engineer of Department Of Water Resources, Orikanta Section, Mahendra Kumar Sahoo said, “The sandbags are being filled as temporary solution to protect the riverbank erosion and steps will be taken up for permanent solution in October after the monsoon withdraws."

(Edited By Suryakant Jena)

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