MONDAY, 11 JUNE 2012
22:02
SUDHIR MISHRA |
BALANGIR
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Demanding speedy implementation of the Lower Suktel Irrigation
Project and adequate compensation to displaced people and their proper
rehabilitation, members of Lower Suktel Irrigation Project Action Committee led
by committee president Gopalji Panigrahi and Samajwadi Party Balangir unit
president Arun Mishra, members of Citizens Committee along with villagers of
Barpudugia, Kutensilet and others, on Monday launched their indefinite dharna
before the Collector’s office here.
“Today, we along with the villagers
of Barpudugia, Kutensilet and others, are staging our indefinite dharna,
demanding speedy execution of the Lower Suktel Irrigation Project. The project
has been in limbo since 2005 and no activity has taken place there. Chief
Minister Naveen Patnaik announced in principle to provide irrigation
facility to 35 per cent land in each block whereas the assured irrigation area
in Balangir district is barely 4 per cent. Once completed, the project will
provide irrigation to 80,000 acres of agricultural land in Balangir and Sonepur
districts,” said Arun Mishra.
Mishra held the Government, the local
MLA, the local MP and the local administration responsible for the dormant
state of the project.
“This agitation will continue and we
have formed committees in 22 affected villages of the project area to carry on
the agitation to its logical end,” Mishra added.
The contradictory rules and policies
of the Government are standing as hindrances in the way of implementation of
the project. While one circular of the Government orders compensations of Rs
2,000 per tree, another circular asks people to return the money stating that
they have been paid in excess of the real amount of compensation pegging it at
Rs 1,100.
Moreover an earlier order of the
Government allows compensation to all people above 18 years of age. Now, by
virtue of another order, grandson and handicapped are being excluded, said
Jayakrushana, a resident of an affected village.
Meanwhile, according to a recent
socio-economic survey report, the total number of households affected has risen
to over 10,000 from the previously estimated 4,064 households, further
increasing the responsibility of rehabilitation and their compensation by
project officials.
The cost of the Lower Suktel
Irrigation Project, in the meantime has touched Rs 1,047crore on the basis of
2009 prices from Rs 217crore in 1996-97 while the project has been in dormant
stage since the beginning.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had
laid foundation for the project in November2001, almost 8 km away from the
project area due to opposition by the displaced people. Barring the foundation
laying of the spillway of the project in 2005, there has been no activity in
the project area except huge irregularities of funds to the tune of cores of
rupees by land acquisition officials, sources alleged.
People who are agitating for the
Lower Suktel Project, are also demanding a halt to recovery of excess payment
made to the people. They are also demanding implementation of the Relief and
Rehabilitations policy of 2011, rather than the R&R policy of 2006.
“Since all this involves policy
matter and Government decisions, I have informed the matter to higher
authorities,” said Collector Sailendra Narayan Dey.
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