Rampant clay mining by brick kilns destroys Prachi embankment

CUTTACK: Rampant encroachment and illegal clay mining right under the nose of the district administration and Water Resources department has posed a serious threat to the Prachi river. The river bed and embankments have fallen prey to the sand mafia and brick kilns, who operate openly, cocking a snook at all government authorities.

Stretching for 72-km from Ramachandrapur to Keluni Muhan in Astaranga, the river covers three districts - Khurda, Cuttack and Puri.  It is maintained by Water Resources and Drainage departments. While the 45-km stretch of the river from Ramachandrapur near Bhingarpur is maintained by Gandarpur drainage division, the rest 27-km is maintained by Nimapara irrigation division. 

However, due to gross negligence and inaction of local administration and officials of the irrigation and drainage divisions, mafia has become active in further ravaging the already dry river embankments and bed.Hundreds of brick kilns have sprung up along the Prachi river bed from Adaspur under Kantapada tehsil to Nuahat in Niali tehsil. They operate illegally in blatant violation of all norms laid down by the State government.

Sources said, the brick kilns have been illegally set up on the riverbed in association with unscrupulous locals. They are preparing bricks by digging out clay from the embankment and lifting sand from the bed. Some kilns have even come up on the river bed itself. “Though the illegal activities are being carried out in plain sight, the district administration has turned blind. Neither the local tehsildar nor the drainage division officials are taking any action even though they are well aware of the illegal activities,” said social activist Prakash Nanda of Bairoi. 

Similarly, large portions of the river have been encroached at many places. While some have been using the riverbed for cultivation, others have constructed roads by filling up the riverbed with sand and soil. At Nachhipura under Balianta tehsil, a permanent road is being laid on the riverbed. While local tehsildars were not available for comments, assistant executive engineer of  Gandarpur drainage division Dayanidhi Nath said  steps would soon be taken against all illegal activities.