BALASORE: Come monsoon and parts of Bhogarai and Jaleswar blocks are flooded not due to the rainwater of the State but of West Bengal. It may sound strange but the residents of northern region of Balasore have been suffering every year due to backwaters of West Bengal (WB) which flows through the rivulets and nullahs here.
Official sources said for years the flood water of WB has been causing widespread damage in at least 60 villages in the two northern blocks. Since 1997, while properties worth over ` 800 crore have been damaged in floods in the blocks, over 30 per cent damage has been due to flood water of WB. The residents alleged that rainwater from Dantun, Egra, Mohanpur, Ramnagar, Digha and Kanthi areas of East and West Midnapore districts in West Bengal enters Bhogarai through 15 nullahs at Nampo, Chitei, Tuki, Nahara and Banida and plays havoc in the region every year. A farmer Santosh Behera said, "Even if we escape from the Subarnarekha flood, our areas are submerged due to the backwaters from WB." The residents have resented the State Government's failure in controlling the rainwater from WB that is creating havoc. They have demanded the cancellation of instrumental negotiation agreement, 1957, between Orissa and West Bengal which allows the backwaters to flow through the channels in the State. "The Government should discuss with its WB counterpart for a possible solution or else thousands of people will continue to suffer. The water could be easily let out if the nullahs are excavated and dredged properly before the onset of monsoon," said Ananta Bhanj, former block chairman. Though the Irrigation Department had mooted a plan to tackle such a situation a couple of years back, the plan has been gathering dust in Government records. The residents have threatened to launch a massive agitation if the Government fails to undertake any tangible measure to mitigate the problem. They also demanded immediate completion of bridges at Demuria, Nahara and Daruha.
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