TUESDAY, 19 JUNE 2012
23:22
PNS |
BALANGIR/BHUBANESWAR
HITS: 5
In a new twist in the ongoing agitation for implementation of the
Lower Suktel Irrigation Project under the banner of the Lower Suktel Action
Committee (LSAC), the police on Tuesday arrested LSAC convener Gopalji
Panigrahi and Samajwadi Party Balangir unit president Arun Mishra.
“I was arrested by the police while going to participate
in the scheduled Rasta Roko programme at Barapudgia, 15 km from here,” said
Panigrahi.
Several people led by Arun Mishra, who staged the Rasta
Roko at Barapudgia on the Balangir-Patnagarh road demanding speedy execution of
the Suktel project, were also arrested. A total of 45 people were arrested,
said Additional SP Srikanta Mishra.
Meanwhile, local MLA and former Minister AU Singh Deo, in
a Press release on Monday, appealed to all sections of people to find out a
solution to the impasse on the Lower Suktel project through “peaceful
discussion.”
He said, “Some people resorting to agitation, bandh and
other negative means will certainly have a negative impact on the project.”
Singh Deo said, “The State Government had envisioned this
project for a massive irrigation thrust to this drought-hit region. It can
irrigate 31,830 hectares of land in both Balangir and Subarnapur districts.
Besides, it can solve the drinking water issue and create the necessary
conditions of economic growth of the region.”
He said that with an objective to complete the project
2013, all preparations were made to start the spillway work, but it was stopped
due to “the opposition of some group of people with vested interests.”
The State Government is committed to start the work of
this “extremely important” project by following the R&R (resettlement and
rehabilitation) policy fully, Singh Deo said.
He pointed out that the earlier project cost of `217.13
crore was increased to `1,041 crore in 2009.
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