40 families of Satabhaya launch strike over rehab

KENDRAPARA: Villagers of sea erosion hit Satabhaya gram panchayat launched an indefinite hunger strike in front of the Kendrapara Collector’s office from Thursday demanding their immediate rehabilitation to safer places.

The agitators alleged that the proposed rehabilitation plan for around 40 families of Satabhaya is moving at a snail’s pace due to the slipshod attitude of the authorities concerned. Four years back, the district administration had shifted 571 families of Satabhaya to the rehabilitation colony at Bagapatia which located 12 km from the sea.

But 40 families are still residing in Satabhaya at a handshake distance from the marching sea. Karunakar Mallick (65) of Satabhaya said around 200 villagers belonging to 40 families have been left in the lurch as the administration is yet to provide them land in the rehabilitation colony. “We are now spending sleepless nights as cyclone Sitrang is approaching the coast,” he said.

The tides bring seawater into the village every two weeks. “The State government is playing with our lives by not rehabilitating us at Bagapatia. The strike will continue till the administration gives us in writing an exact date for our rehabilitation,” said another villager Meghanada Mallick.

Kendrapara Sub-Collector Niranjan Behera said as per the order of the High Court, the administration rehabilitated the 247 families at Bagapatia two months back. Recently, around 40 families of Satabhaya have demanded rehabilitation. After examining their demands, the administration will take necessary steps in this regard, Behera added.