Villagers skip Holi demanding revival of river

CUTTACK:  With cries for revival of the Suku Paika river, once a lifeline for hundreds of villages spread across Cuttack district, continuing to be cold-shouldered by the State government, affected villagers of Bodhapur under Cuttack Sadar block have chalked out a unique campaign to press for their demands.
Led by eminent cardiologist, Dr PC Rath, the convenor of ‘Save Suku Paika’ campaign, residents of Bodhapur gram panchayat  did not celebrate Holi this year. 

They have decided to observe ‘Chuli Bandh’ (no cooking in every household) from 7 am to 7 pm on April 22 and organise ‘Jalabhisheka’ by lifting water from Mahanadi and pouring it into the dry Suku Paika river on May 16. On June 7, farmers and fishermen of the locality would take out a rally to the local tehsil office and stage demonstration over the issue. 

“All protests and agitations will organised in a peaceful manner to press the government for revival of the dead Suku Paika river which vital for the lives and livelihood of 10 lakh people,” said general secretary of ‘Save Suku Paika’ campaign Swarup Rath. The Suku Paika river which originated from the Mahanadi at Ayatpur village in Cuttack, ran its course for 27 km only to rejoin the parent river at Bankola near Tarapur. The river’s course covered 425 villages of 26 gram panchayats in Cuttack Sadar, Nischintakoili and Raghunathpur blocks. 

In 1950s, the State government had blocked the originating point of the river with an embankment, completely disconnecting it from Mahanadi, to check floods without considering its consequence on environment in future. Since then the river has been lying dead. It gets filled up only during monsoon. 
The dried river has an adverse effect on environment, people and their livelihood in the localities.

It has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes leading to rise in diseases like malaria, dengue and diarrhoea in the area. The environmental disaster and health hazard is affecting about 10 lakh people living along the river belt. The locals have been campaigning for the river’s reconnection with Mahanadi since 2016. Cases too have been filed in Odisha Human Rights Commission(OHRC) and National Green Tribunal by the residents.