Baripada: Construction of canals for the ambitious Subarnarekha Irrigation Project has hit a roadblock due to strong opposition by people in Betanoti area of district Mayurbhanj over the price offered by the administration to acquire their land.
Despite several rounds of talks with locals over the issue, the administration has failed to sort it out and refused to pay not more than Rs 3 lakh per acre of land while the people demanded Rs 25 lakh per acre.
According to reports, to sort out the issue, a meeting of the administration and the agitating villagers was held Saturday, but it turned out to be a damp-squib.
Collector Surendra Kumar Meena and representatives of the land losers from three villages – Purunapani, Tulasichoura and Pathaphala – took part in a marathon discussion.
As there was no solution in sight on the land price with both sides sticking to their stands, the canal construction remains uncertain.
The villagers are firm on not sparing their land unless they are paid Rs 25 lakh per acre as compensation. They argued that the government should consider the current market price of the land and hike the compensation amount.
The administration has identified 15.88 acre of land belonging to 53 families in Betanoti area for canal construction.
After issuing notification in this regard, the administration had earlier started land acquisition, but it was strongly opposed by the affected families.
The people of the three villagers had earlier taken up the issue with the collector, the ADM, the land acquisition officer of Bahalda zone (Subarnarekha Irrigation Project), Betanoti tehsildar and other officials. As nothing fruitful came out, they warned of a mass agitation.
Rattled over the warning, the administration had called a meeting with the land-losing families at Purunapani May 23.
The villagers, officials of the revenue department, irrigation project and former ZP member Biswanth Hembram were present.
It was then decided that land acquisition will be halted until both sides arrive at a consensus over the land price.
The villagers were told that the collector will hold talks with the chief engineer of the irrigation project and will intimate the demands of land losers to the government.
After Saturday’s meeting, the representatives of the three villages, Biswanth Hembram, alleged the administration is buying time on the plea of talks and has now shirked its responsibility.
Now with no way out, the people will move the court, he warned.
The work of Subarnarekha irrigation project was undertaken in 2004-05 to irrigate 1,09,727 hectares on land in Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts. PNN
