Odisha Coast Canal
The United Nations Educational, Cultural And Scientific Organization (UNESCO) in its Convention concerning The Protection of The World Cultural And Natural Heritage held at Phuket, Thailand on 12-17 December, 1994 had a very important deliberations on recognizing Canals as heritage. It says, “A canal is a human-engineered waterway. It may be of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history or technology, either intrinsically or as an exceptional example representative of this category of cultural property. The canal may be a monumental work, the defining feature of a linear cultural landscape, or an integral component of a complex cultural landscape. The significance of canals can be examined under technological, economic, social, and landscape factors.
COAST CANAL IN CRISIS
Coast Canal is losing its existence. Apart from its trade significance, it used to help irrigate thousands of hectares of agricultural land. But in the last 30 years, because of the siltation of the canals, lack of maintenance of embarkments and the canal, the canal is not having optimal use. As the canal has uniquely connected with river Subarnarekha and runs through the coast, it can be a landmark in water transportation for trade purpose in densely populated region like coastal Balasore.
As UNESCO highlights the crucial importance of waterscapes and historic canals as visible infrastructural networks constituting a significant part of world history especially in the field of industrial archaeology, such as bridges, lock systems, hydraulic factories, warehouses and river ports. In addition, it is important to consider the high aesthetic value of river and aquatic landscapes, or waterscapes. Another possibility is the enhancement of the coast canal and its surrounding villages as resources for developing a sustainable tourism, responding to the growing demand for cultural and environmental protection as well as for high quality recreational experiences.
The people are the key to the revival and restoration of this historic canal. The best effort is to build on the collective memories of people who can be at the core of the process for the much needed conservation of the heritage canal. Till 1972, steamers used to ply in the coast canal. However, a severe flood in 1973 and lack of governmental effort resulted in its gradual death. The people’s movement continued upto late 90s and it was during UPA government, National Waterways 5 bill was placed in the Parliament in December 6, 2006 as it recognised its importance and WAPCOS was assigned to develop a proposal for its revival keeping in view the hydro-geological interlinkages.
BICYCLE YATRA BY YOUNG PEOPLE
Odisha Coast Canal Revival Forum (OCRF) and Yuva Vikas Foundation intends to take up the bicycle campaign for the larger sensitization of the local youth and population as the region is struggling for good quality drinking water. Widespread water contamination is happening because of unplanned prawn farming and related water pollution.
The young people will be exposed to various real life situations on water crisis and will be able to unlearn and relearn the much needed local climate action on water front.
- Start Place – Mankunda Village, Bhograi Block, Balasore (Odisha-West Bengal border)
- End Place – Charbatia Village, Basudevpur, Bhadrak
- Date – January 21 to 31, 2023
- Locations of stay – Mankunda, Bhograi Lock, Madhupura, Mandhata, Olanda, Sargaon, Jayadev Kasba, Gopalpur, Iram, Basudevpur, Charbatia
- Nos. of Villages covered – 44+