Balangir: The residents of Pardhiapali stopped work on the Lower Suktel Irrigation Project Dam Friday and staged a demonstration. The villagers threatened to continue their stir at the dam site until their demands were conceded.
The protesters demanded implementation of the Land Acquisition Act of 2013, payment of compensation as per the rules of 2013, payment of compensation at one go instead of in instalments, priority for rehabilitation of the homeless, Record of Rights (ROR) to all displaced people, sorting out issues at the gram sabha, treating of Mahul trees as fruit bearing trees and compensation for cutting them down.
Angry villagers ransacked the site hampering work. The work was stopped for the day as villagers threatened workers deployed at the site.
After getting information the dam’s chief engineer Prabhat Ranjan Rout, special land acquisition officer Rabindra Kumar Sahu, Sadar IIC and other officials reached the spot.
Later, Collector Arindam Dakua visited the village and held talks with the people. The villagers alleged the administration was only focusing on the project and was ignoring problems of the displaced.
They warned that work will not be allowed to commence at any cost until their demands were met. Even though the DM sat discussed about the issue for an hour no solution was found.
After much requests by the DM the villagers demanded two days to rethink about the issue. Until the next two days project work should be stopped, they said and the DM agreed.
The project approved in 1996-97 at a cost of Rs 217.13 crore is incomplete even now. CM Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation for the project in November, 2001.
Sources said although the project was estimated to cost Rs 217.13 crore it has touched Rs 2,450 crore now. The project will provide irrigation to 31,830 hectares in Balangir and Subarnapur districts.
PNN
