Bolangir: Scores of people of Malpada displaced by the Ganjadhar Minor Irrigation Project at Bagdor under Belpada block in this district Wednesday stated a dharna at the collectorate demanding rehabilitation and compensation.
At least 90 families who lost their land and dwellings staged a sit-in in front of collector Ashish Thakare’s office.
According to reports, the project was completed in 1991. Many families had to lose their farmland while their houses were submerged by the project. “We’re then, assured of compensation by government officials but we are still waiting for it though 20 years have passed,” the agitators alleged.
The affected families were provided a minimal part of their compensation while the remaining amount was bungled, they claimed. “No one pays heed to our plight. We are deprived of our sources of income after our farmlands were submerged,” the villagers said.
The protesters submitted a memorandum to the collector citing their demands. The collector assured them of taking immediate steps in this direction. He appointed a special officer to prepare a report on the losses suffered by the displaced families.
Compensation will be provided to the affected people on the basis of the report, he said. The agitators relented following the collector’s assurance but warned of a mass agitation if no steps were taken to address their concerns. PNN