Sunday, 23 December 2012 19:51
SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR
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The villagers of Budi Anchal area,
who are likely to be submerged if the proposed lower Suktel irrigation project
takes off, expressed their determination to oppose construction of the dam even
as a high-level meeting was held in Bhubaneswar to dislodge the impasse.
They argued for an alternative model
— construction of small barrages to provide irrigation, which they claimed
would lead to no displacement of people.“We have been residing in the area for
generations. Our forefathers had settled here long ago. Once we are displaced
from this area, we would lose hearth and home, besides sources of livelihood
forever,”says Udaya Singh Thakur of Budi Anchal Sangram Parishad addressing a
gathering at Gadshankar Dunguripali, 22km away from here on December 22.
“Late Maharaj RN Singh Deo had
assured to the people of this area to construct an anicut to provide irrigation
to the agricultural fields. But his family members, both MLA AU Singh Deo and
MP Kalikesh SinghDeo rather than sticking to the commitment of the late king,
are pursuing the big dams which would submerge our area,” Thakur laments.
“Will any alternative arrangement
give us paddy and security to our children?” a rural woman asks. “We are living
here for ages and earn our livelihood by collecting non timber forest products
from the nearby forests and paddy and other crops from the agricultural land. From
where will we get them once we lose our fertile land and forest?” she said.
We will oppose the construction of
dams, come what may, says a school student breaking down when he is told that
the villagers have to quit the area soon. A rally of schoolchildren and
villagers were taken out in Gadshankar village where in the villagers opposed
the construction of the dam. It would be pertinent to mention here that till
today no socio-economic survey has been carried out in the 13 villages before
the project due to stiff opposition from local people.
Among others, president of Budi
Anchal Sangram Parishad Ghunu Sahu, local unit Samajwadi Party president Arun
Mishra, Dhelkal Singh, Muna Pareshwar Rajput and Satya Banchhor confirmed that
they would oppose the construction of the dam.
On the other hand, with an objective
that Sadbuddhi (right sense) would prevail with the Government and the outcome
of the talks on the Lower Suktel Irrigation Project in Bhubaneswar would bear
fruit, a Yajna was held before the district Collectorate at Balangir on
Saturday morning.
“We are performing the Yajna so that
better sense prevails over the Government and the project is implemented soon,”
said a pro-project activist. On Saturday, more organisations of the town
extended their support to the pro-project agitation.
In a related development, members of
the Budi Anchal Sangram Parishad refused to attend the Bhubneswar talks as they
wanted discussions with the Government without members of the Lower Suktel
Action Committee. Parishad members also held a meeting at
Gadshankar-Dunguripali on the day.
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