SUKTEL DISPLACED BEGIN ‘JAL SATYAGRAHA’ FOR REHAB Tuesday, 27 September 2016 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

SUKTEL DISPLACED BEGIN ‘JAL SATYAGRAHA’ FOR REHAB

Tuesday, 27 September 2016 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

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Members of the Balangir Action Committee led by Gopalji Panigrahi have started a Jal Satyagraha at Khagsabahal village, 25 km from here, near the Suktel river.

They are demanding implementation of Land Acquisition Policy (LAP) 2013 for the Lower Suktel Irrigation Project and adequate compensation and proper rehabilitation of the displaced people.

 “We have started an indefinite stir demanding implementation of LAP-2013 for the Lower Suktel Irrigation Project and proper rehabilitation of the displaced people,” said Panigrahi.

However, another group of villagers of Khuntpali-led by Upendra Sahu also stage a stir there demanding that compensation be first paid to the project oustees before any construction work started.

In 2012, we supported Balangir Action Committee agitation for the Lower Suktel project. However, we were let down by Gopalji Panigrahi and others. They have come to befool us by ignoring our genuine concerns, alleged the villagers of Khuntpali before Balangir Sub Collector Bimal Prasad Mohanty at the dharna site.

Notably, the Jal Satyagraha was the first of its kind stir started here pertaining to the Suktel project. Even, members of Lower Suktel Budi Anchal Sangram Paishad, another outfit which has spearheaded a 16-year long campaign, never undertook the Jal Satyagraha.

Meanwhile, Health, Fire and ODRAF teams, besides police were deployed to tackle the situation.