Tirtol villagers say no to sand lifting

PARADIP: Erosion-hit villagers vented their anger at Government inaction against illegal sand lifting on the banks of the Mahanadi river by staging a demonstration in front of the Tirtol Tehsil office on Tuesday. Ten villages of Danilo and Tirtol panchayats have been hit with the Mahanadi changing its course near Posal under Tirtol tehsil.  Gramya Surakhya Committee, the agitating body, president Biranchi Mohapatra said with the river submerging hundreds of acres of crop areas, agro-based economy has been severely affected in these villages.  Demand for sand has shot up following construction activities on Cuttack-Paradip state highway. The firms conveniently lift sand from the riverbed along the highway, while the authorities concerned look the other way, alleged Mohapatra. The villagers further alleged that owners of brick kilns on the Mahanadi banks lift sand using pumps while the Revenue Department had directed use of spade only for the purpose during the auction.Unauthorised sand quarrying has triggered soil erosion in several villages under Tirtol, Raghunathpur and Kujang on Mahanadi downstream. There have been several demonstrations in the past to oppose the illegal activities.  Environment and marine experts too have raised serious concerns over export of sand from the riverbed in these three areas.  The villagers were pacified following assurance from Tirtol Tehsildar Kailash Nayak to stop sand lifting from the riverbed.