Keonjhar: A dawn-to-dusk Telkoi bandh, aimed at protesting against the proposed Somakoi-Chakdar irrigation project on Samakoi river at Chakdar in Kardangi panchayat of Telkoi block in this district, passed off peacefully, Tuesday. The bandh call was given by the Somakoi-Chakdar project coordination committee. The protesters warned that they would, instead, choose to sacrifice their lives rather than parting with their land for the project. Resentment among the residents brewed after the state government allocated funds in the current Budget for the construction of the Somakoi-Chakdar project. Locals have been opposing the proposal for the last 46 years.
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All the business establishments, educational institutions and offices remained closed during the 12-hour bandh while vehicular traffic came to a standstill. All residents and various outfits in Telkoi area extended their support to the shutdown. Protesters took out a huge rally from Charigarh College ground in Telkoi which passed through the major thoroughfares of Telkoi before reaching the Tehsil office. They also submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister through the tehsildar demanding complete closure of the project. “We warn the government to intensify our agitation in future if our demand is not heeded,” said Kailash Chandra Pradhan, president of the steering committee spearheading the agitation. Laxmidhar Pradhan, convener of the committee, said that local people have been opposing this project since it got approval in 1978. They alleged that the project, if built at Chakdar which is downstream of Somakoi River, most of Telkoi block will be submerged and many people will be displaced.
Besides, agricultural lands in Keonjhar district will not get irrigation facilities while most of the areas in neighbouring Pallahara and Kaniha of Angul district will benefit from this project. Locals apprehended that if the project comes up then Telkoi will become a large reservoir and many people will be displaced and rendered homeless. Locals said if the project comes up near Hatimunda village on the upstream of Somakoi river, many areas of Telkoi block will be irrigated. Telkoi tehsildar Anupama Murmu, who received the memorandum from the agitators, said the bandh passed off peacefully. She also assured to send the memorandum to the state government for a decision at their end.
