Bhubaneswar: More than 100 passengers on a ferryboat operated by the gover nment were left stranded in the Chilika lake on Monday following dispute among boatmen over ghat services.

The boat carrying two buses, 20 bikes and more than 100 passengers was arriving from from Satapada was halted midway by villagers from Mahinsa.

After more than an hour of being stranded in mid of the lake, the ferryboat returned to Satapada. According to reports, Janhikuda and Mahinsa villages entered a dispute on Saturday over auction of boat services in the area.

Villagers of Mahinsa, who bagged the auction for boat services, have decided not to allow boatmen of Janhikuda to operate in the area, leading to a dispute between both the villages. Boatmen of Janhikuda said their livelihood was being affected as they were barred from operating boats. Around 500 passenger boats operate from Satapada ghat in Puri district.

However, the differences between the two villages has affected residents of Krushnaprasad block, who extensively depend on ferryboat services. "There dispute should be restricted within them and they don't have any rights to stop the government ferry service. They can disrupt the private boat operations but must not harass the passengers of government ferry service," said a passenger.

The ferryboat service has been operating since 2008 to ferry people between Satapada and Janhikuda.

Around 500 people use the service on a daily basis while people from Ganjam use the service to reach Puri from the opposite side of the lake. The vessel operates four times in a day.

Puri district administration said the dispute between the villages had been continuing for years. "They have also taken the matter to the court. We urge them not to disrupt the ferry service or else we will be forced to seek police action," said an official.