Joda: The project authorities of Kanpur major irrigation project held a meeting with people of Basudevpur Wednesday over the issue of shifting Thakurani Shala (traditional place of worship for tribals). The meeting came days after the project authorities assured people of meeting some demands.
The project work is said to have been stalled near the Takurani Shala.
Notably, Kanpur Irrigation project, the second largest one in the state, is under construction across river Baitararni at Basudevpur in Keonjhar district.
Project officials’ llike Surendranath Mishra, Bijay Kumar Sethi and Bhikaricharan Sahu held talks with project affected people of Basudevpur over the necessity of shifting the Takurani Shala.
However, many villagers opposed shifting of the deities. They alleged that officials come and assure them to fulfill their demands, but later the assurance goes in vain.
The project affected people have three major demands – compensation to youths who have attained 18 years by 2018, construction of a playground and a school building and some financial assistance in the area.
“If these demands are met, they will allow shifting of Thakurani Shala in the project area,” said Gayatri Nayak, Kandara sarpanch and Dhaneswar Nayak, an ex-army man of Basudevpur.
The two also alleged that officials had earlier assured them to fulfill their demands, but those officials were later transferred from there.
“Now, new officials come to us and assure use to fulfill our demands. Assurances can’t be taken into confidence. Villagers have decided to agitate against such move,” they made it clear.
Bijay Kumar Sethi, assistant engineer of the irrigation project, said that most of the dam work has been completed, but some work has been stalled due to Thakurani Shala.
“If the deity is shifted to a new place, she can be properly worshipped while it will pave way for the project work,” Sethi said.
Project officials also said that if the villagers fail to understand the things, it will be too difficult for them to explain the need for shifting the Takurani Shala.
It may be noted here that three chief ministers had laid the foundation stone for the project on separate occasions, but the project is scheduled to be completed by December 2019.
The project is aimed at irrigating 47,709 hectares in 236 villages under Champua, Patana, Keonjhar and Joda blocks after the project is completed.
