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Podampeta villagers to be rehabilitated

BERHAMPUR: Ganjam district administration has decided to rehabilitate Podampeta village on the coast line, which is on the verge of submergence by the waves of the sea during high tides.

As per the plans all families at the village are expected to be shifted to the location earmarked for rehabilitation by the next high tide on the full moon day on Aug 28. Chatrapur Sub-Collector Ajit Mishra said there was some delay in identifying a new spot for the rehabilitation of these villagers as all of them were fishermen and had to live near the coast. At last the administration has located a patch of government land suitable for rehabilitation of these fishermen from Podampeta village. This land patch is located at the border of Khallikote and Chatrapur tehsils. It is now being used as a village fair ground for the near by villagers. Mr Mishra said this location is at a distance of around one and a half km from the sea and it is at a height from the sea level. One hundred and fifty one fishermen families of Podampeta village are to be rehabilitated at this new spot. As per the plans they would be provided pattas for the land on which they would erect their houses at the rehabilitation site. The administration has also sought help from NGOs like United Artistes who work among the fishermen community to motivate the fishermen for quick rehabilitation to avoid further losses at Podampeta.

The last high tide on the new moon day had led to destruction of houses at the Podampeta village. More than 40 houses were washed away by the sea waves in last five days. Around a decade back the sea was at a distance of around one and a half km from the village but changing face of the sea coast brought the sea close to the backyard of the village this year.

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