The construction of an embankment by the Bengal government on Udaipur beach, on the Odisha border of East Midnapore’s Digha, was stalled on Thursday evening by police in the neighbouring state.
The Bengal irrigation department had reportedly undertaken the repairs and the construction of embankments in the area following Cyclone Yaas.
“There is a concrete road in the area that serves tourists in getting to the beach, and it is effectively the border between the two states here,” said a local resident.
“The following year, they had objected to the construction of a paid lavatory there, which we can accept. But how can we accept their objections to the construction of something which has proved to be vital to our survival here,” the villager said, referring to damage from floods.
Speaking about the impasse, Ramnagar 1 block development officer Bishnupada Ray said: “We have informed our district officials who will take up the matter with their counterpart in Balasore.”
An officer from Talasari police station in Odisha said: “This is a disputed land. Construction cannot be allowed.”
Bhograi Tahesildar of Balasore district Kamalakanata Panda told The Telegraph: “There are many disputed sites along the Odisha-Bengal border. On this particular site at Udaipur beach (on Odisha side) near Digha beach, there is a disputed area of around 100 to 200 metres that both the states claim as their own. In 2016, it had been decided that no construction would be undertaken on the disputed site. Any such activity could be undertaken only after joint verification by senior officials on the disputed site. However, Bengal officials defied the decision.”
Officials of the Bengal irrigation department, however, explained that they had even tried to persuade the Odisha officials to undertake the repairs of the portion of the guard wall falling on their side, an approximate 50m of a 100m project, but the work was halted.
“The talks have been unfruitful so far,” said a source.
Additional reporting by Subhasish Mohanty in Bhubaneswar
