According to a study by the National Center for Coastal Research, between 1990 and 2016, Odisha lost 28 per cent of its 550 km of coastline.
The area of Satbhaya from which many families migrated (Photo- Indian Express)
An area spread over 17 km in Kendrapara district of Odisha, where some 700 families lived till a few years ago, has now completely turned into a desert. Sand is seen everywhere in the area. Some of the things of the past are still to be seen in this area close to the beach, a handpumped with sand, stray animals, palm trees and an old temple without any idol are also present at this place. This temple used to be a good place for people of the area to sit.
According to the report of English newspaper The Indian Express, this story is of Satbhaya which is a group of 7 villages. This area has almost disappeared from the map due to sea erosion and has also destroyed the livelihood of the people here. Today, only one person Prafull Lenka comes to this area regularly. In 2018, Lenka’s 6-member family was among 571 people who were rehabilitated by the district administration in a colony in Baghpatia. Despite not having electricity and clean water, 40-year-old Lenka keeps coming here to see his 20 buffaloes.
According to the newspaper report, orders have been issued to rehabilitate 118 families out of the remaining 148 families. Also, paperwork is still being done for the remaining 30 families. Babu Mallik, who is being rehabilitated, says, “A plot of land and a house is a lot for us, which we have been waiting for a long time, but our lives and homes were taken away by the sea.” This is the fourth time in the last 4 years that we will change our house. ”
The land becomes barren, the source of earning is over
The district’s Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Basant Kumar Raut said that the administration will provide 10 dismantled land and Rs 1.5 lakh to all the families for construction of houses under the Biju Pakka Ghar Yojana. After resettlement began in 2018, people living in villages other than Satbhaya have been displaced and living on rent in other places to protect themselves from sea erosion.
Till a decade ago, farming and fisheries were the main sources of livelihood for the people here. But every year the sea went ahead and absorbed the houses and fields and made the soil even saline. Due to which many acres of land has become barren. Many of the youth here have started employment in other states like Kerala, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
31 km part of Kendrapada swallowed by sea
Prabhakar Behera, 61, says, “About 6 years ago, my 2-acre land became barren. After rehabilitation, my family moved to Bagpatia, but I came back here because it is very difficult for all of us to live on 10 Dismil plots. My elder son has started work in a plywood factory in Kerala. My younger son will also go with him after studies. “
According to a study by the National Center for Coastal Research, between 1990 and 2016, Odisha lost 28 per cent of its 550 km of coastline. In which only 31 km of Kendrapada is over. Satbhaya has become an island today. The survivors have to travel a distance of 5 km for ration or anything.
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