New Year Gift to Fishing Community in Rangeilunda Block as CM Lays Foundation for River Mouth Dredging Operations at Bahada and Bahana Nallas

Berhampur: In a New Year Gift to thousands of fishermen in Rangeilunda block in Gopalpur Assembly Constituency in Ganjam district, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today laid foundation for the much-awaited river mouth dredging operations at Haripur and Markandi villages.

The Chief Minister laid the foundation for two major projects for the improvement to river mouths of Bahada Nalla near Haripur and Bahana Nalla near Markandi.

With this, the long-standing demand of people of Rangeilunda, especially the fishing community are going to be fulfilled.

The dredging work, which is said to be the first of its kind in Ganjam district, will be carried by the Water Resources Department for the opening up river mouths of Bahada Nalla and Bahana Nalla at the cost of Rs 7 crore.

Upon completion, it will immensely benefit the thousands of fishermen of several villages of Rangeilunda block. The fishermen will have a proper jetty for keeping their fishing nets, boats and carrying out fishing at the coastline.

For the permanent solution, the State Government has also roped in IIT Madras for project management consultancy services for the work preparation of DPR for construction of groins and river mouth dredging of Bahada Nalla and Bahana Nalla.

The Bahana Nalla, which stretches from Berhampur to the Bay of Bengal, meets the sea through Markandi village in Rangeilunda block. It has become of the cause of sorrow for the fishermen as the mouth of the Nalla have been closed for years. Similar is the condition for Bahada Nalla.

It was the long-standing demand of the local fishermen that the river mouths of these two Nallas to be excavated, so that they will have a separate jetty for fishing activities to support their livelihoods.

This long-standing demand of the fishing community reached to the State Government through OSD to CM Dr. Gopabandhu Dash, who personally visited the villages and listened to the problems of fishermen.

On being apprised of this, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has sanctioned the funds for the improvement of the sea-mouths.

As the Chief Minister laid the foundation for the works, it brought a sense joy among the people of Rangeilunda.
They have expressed their deep gratitude to the Chief Minister and thanked his OSD Dr. Dash.