Scholars talk about climate change and its deadly effects on the world, but it seems like no one is interested or cares to learn about it. Not until it starts affecting us or people around us directly. 

Now that the heatwaves are on the rise and temperature records are breaking every day in India this summer, many people are finally realising that climate change and global warming are real and if not checked now, can break havoc. 

One such threat has started to affect the lives of thousands of villagers in Odisha's coastal areas where the sea is almost at the doorstep. The villagers who once grew up alongside the ocean now have to abandon their lands and ancestral homes due to coastal erosion. These uprooted former residents are officially labelled as 'climate migrants' by the government.  

Several studies indicate that if the current situation continues, more than 200 km of Odisha's land will be engulfed by the sea by 2050.

Among several coastal villages of Odisha, Satabhaya is facing the most hardships. Once a seaside temple of Ma Panchubarahi, a local Hindu God who is believed to protect the locals from natural disasters, is now under the sea and only a ruined brick wall is all that is left of it. 

What is Coastal Erosion?

It is the long-term loss or removal of land due to sea waves, currents, or any water-driven force. It is a natural process that changes the geography of the land with time. However, climate change is accelerating the process, causing a rise in sea levels and intensifying storms. 

If the trend continues, it can lead to severe loss of land and several coastal areas may suffer from loss of property, misplacement of residents, infrastructural and economic loss, and ecosystem degradation. 

In 2023, the government of Odisha issued a fund for the affected families. A plot of land was allocated to each family in Bagapatia along with $1,800 (approx. Rs. 1,49,000) to build new homes for a relocation colony. 

The residents are now struggling to earn an income, as without the sea, there are no fish to catch or land to farm, many men in the community have to take odd jobs or migrate to outer states to support their families. 

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