Malkangiri: Tribals here have opposed the construction of a dam by the Chhattisgarh government on Saberi river bordering this district, a report said.
The opposition of the tribals stems from the fact that the new dam at Kokram in Chhattisgarh ‘will affect over 52 villages under nine panchayats of Mathili block in the district’.
The matter came to fore after the tribals under the aegis of Odisha Adivasi Sangh took out a rally at Kamarpalli and opposed the construction of dam. Tribals hailing from nine panchayats of Mathili block participated in the rally and demanded an immediate intervention of the state government to sort out the issue.
They warned of a serious confrontation on the issue if the Chhattisgarh government did not desist from the dam construction works soon. The tribals were seen holding their traditional weapons and giving away slogans against the Chhattisgarh government during the rally.
The tribals alleged that the dam construction will seriously affect their lands, water bodies, forest cover, and mineral deposits in the area which in turn will rob them off their livelihood.
They questioned how the dam construction received clearance at the government-level without looking into the damages it might cause to Malkangiri district in the state. The dam is being constructed for development of agriculture and boost power production in Chhattisgarh.
They alleged that the dam is being constructed at the cost of the interest of the residents in 52 villages under nine panchayats of Mathili block.
PNN
