Friday, September 21, 2012

Showdown likely in Suktel project area on Sep 27 FRIDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 2012 22:59 SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR HITS: 2 · ·


 Bhubaneswar http://dailypioneer.com/templates/ja_teline_iv/images/arrow.png Showdown likely in Suktel project area on Sep 27
FRIDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 2012 22:59
SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR
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Even as the day of commencement of spillway work of the Lower Suktel Irrigation Project on September 27 is approaching nearer,  a showdown between the Lower Suktel Budi Anchal Sangram Parishad and the project implementing authorities is on the cards with both sides sticking to their respective stands.
The Parishd has declared the project area as a “prohibited zone” while the authorities have expressed their “readiness” to start the project work on the appointed day.
Uday Singh Thakur of the Lower Suktel Budi Anchal Sangram Parisad said, “We have been opposing construction of a dam over river Lower Suktel since the beginning as it would submerge large tracts of fertile agricultural land and forests, besides displacement of a large number of people and loss of their livelihoods.”
He further said, “Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik listened to our viewpoints in 2007 and assured us to send the Secretary of the Water Resources Department to hold further discussions with us. But even after five years have elapsed, nobody has turned up and discussed the issues with us. We have declared the project area as a “prohibited zone” and will not allow Government officials to the area from September.26.”
On the other hand, Chief Engineer of Lower Suktel Irrigation Project RC Padhee said, “We have decided to start the project work on September 27. Those opposing the project are only a ‘few people’. Unless the project work is started, the fate of the project will be virtually doomed and the Central Government will not give any further extension for it.”
According to sources, president of Budi Anchal Sangram Parishad Ghunu Sahu was invited for talks with the project officials. However, he declined to make any commitment unilaterally, saying that the Parishad as a whole would take a final decision.
It may be noted that the irrigation project since the beginning has been mired in controversies over various issues like financial irregularities and lack of adequate information. Even the authorities seem to lack any specific plans to settle the total number of displaced people.
As per the initial report, a total of 4,600 families would be displaced, for which initial plans for their rehabilitation were made. But according to sources, a recent survey indicated that more than 10,000 families are going to be displaced, and so far there seems to be absence of any plan for settlement of such an increased number of people.
According to reports, people from outside the area have purchased lands in the villages which have been designated as “either affected” or “submerged” due to the project.
Asked to comment on any compensatory afforestation programme prepared to compensate the forests going to be submerged, Chief Engineer Padhee advised this correspondent to contact the Forest Department to get the answer.
In an another interesting development, the Lower Suktel Action Committee, which withdrew its 20-day-long indefinite fast in favour of implementation of the project after getting assurance of the departmental Special Secretary for talks between the committee leaders and the Chief Minister in Bhubneshwar, is yet to receive any invitation till date.
“We have not received any invitation so far for talks in Bhubneshwar,” said Aun Mishra of the committee.

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