Bolangir: Even as the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, laid the foundation stone for lower Suktel Irrigation Project in 2001, 18 year down the line, the project is yet to see the light of the day.
The construction of a dam over river Suktel at Magurbeda still remains a non-starter, triggering a strong resentment among people of the district. Residents urged the project work to be completed early for the better interest of the people.
Approved and sanctioned under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) in 1996 at a whopping cost of 217.16 crore, the Suktel project aims to provide irrigation benefit to 31,830 hectares of land in three blocks of Bolangir district, namely Bolangir, Punitala and Loisingha, besides Tarbha block of Sonepur district.
The project would benefit in the irrigation of thousands of acres of land. According to sources, the project would provide water to 51,000 hectare of land across the two districts.
The state government has planned to lay underground water pipes, instead of digging canals, to irrigate cultivable lands on the both the sides of the projects.
The proposal of laying the pipelines will boost the construction of the projects as there will be no land acquisition, said some locals.
Besides, water can be distributed to fields till the tail-end and thus there would be no water problem in the lowermost area. There will be no water loss.
Because of pipe system, 85 per cent irrigation intensity can be achieved during Kharif season and 42 per cent during Rabi season. During Kharif, paddy can be cultivated in 22,950 acres of land, millet on 4,080 acres, oilseeds on 5,100 acres, vegetables on 6,120 acres and cereals can be cultivated on 5,100 acres of land.
Similarly, during Rabi season, paddy can be cultivated on 5,100 acres of land, cereals on 5,100 acres and vegetables can be grown on 11,220 acres of land each year.
PNN
