The boat service in the Paika river at Zillanasi village near Kujang was put off for last two days due to dispute among boatmen.
Consequently, hundreds of villagers have been suffering to connect with other parts. They have urged the district administration to intervene in the mater and resume the service.
Reports said that boat service at Zillanasi in has been continuing for decades as it serves easy access to Tikhiri Panchayat in Kendrapada district from Kujang. A few country boats, including two motorised boats, remain deployed all the seasons.
However, the boatmen were engaged in a scuffle over some dispute on Sunday. Anadi Behera, Bhabagrahi Behera and Prashant Behera from Zillanasi village sustained injuries following attack of a Tikhiri boat man.
later, the victim boatmen lodged a FIR with Kujanga police station. Police have started an investigation.
Sources informed that after Zillanasi boatmen lodged a police complaint, people have stopped coming to Zillanasi village; even guardians have stopped sending students to Zillanasi schools and fishing at the river bank has come to a halt.
On the other hand, Zillanasi Sarapanch Pramod Kumar Swain said that the ferry ghat is controlled by the Jagatsinghpur district administration. He alleged that two Tikhiri boat men were illegally running boats.
“We have approached the district emergency officer to take the appropriate action,” Sarpanch Swain added.
District emergency officer Satyanarayan Das informed that Zillanasi is a recognised ferry ghat under Kujanga block. Two motorised boats have been given licence to ferry passengers there. He, however, said that he had no knowledge about the halt of ferrying service.