Malkangiri: The state government had constructed Balimela dam project in 1960s to boost agriculture in this district but it proved to be of no use for the tribals living in the cutoff regions of Chitrakonda block, a report said.
People swimming across water bodies to get their provisions in the absence of a proper bridge only narrate the state of affairs in the region.
Though a construction company from West Bengal had been given the task of setting up a bridge on river Gurupriya in 1990 at Rs 40 crore, it is yet to see the light of the day.
Following the construction of the hydro electricity project, the water resources department excavated Poteru right and left canals to help farmers in Malkangiri district utilising the surplus water of the project. Though the farmers living along the 140 km stretch of the canal got the benefit, tribals of 151 villages under nine panchayats – Badapada, Paparmetla, Ralegada, Dhuliput, Panasput, Jodamba, Gajlamamudi, Jantri and Andrapalli continue to suffer.
The state government has taken an initiative to set up Gurupriya bridge to establish a link with the cutoff regions. A firm from West Bengal was roped in to construct the bridge. But the construction company failed to complete it due to resistance from the Maoists. Instead of expediting the project work, the firm filed a Rs 10 crore compensation suit against the state government. The fate of the bridge still hangs fire, a report said.
Hundreds of residents of Paparmetla alleged that though the village was accorded a panchayat status about 65 years ago, people still have to travel eight km to get their rations from Jantapai village.
“As we have to cross a nullah to get our provision, we tie a Lautumba (dry hard shell of gourd) to the body as a safety measure,” said a villager Bhima Hantala.
Despite precautions, there are instances when people have been swept away by the currents, recalled Damburu Khemudu and Bijay Khor of the panchayat.
Even as a Kolkata-based company was asked to set up a hanging bridge over the nullah, the firm is yet to begin work leaving the iron raw material to rot, it was learnt.
A few villagers suspected that it was not the Maoists but political bodies and government officials who don’t want the progress of the area.
When contacted, ITDA project administration Ramkrushna Gond said 60 per cent of work of the hanging bridge has been completed and it would soon be opened to people.
DRDA’s project director Manas Mishra clarified that the government granted Rs12 lakh to set up a panchayat office at Paparmetla in 2015-16. However, the funds couldn’t be utilised and returned as locals didn’t cooperate with the revenue inspector for demarcation of the site, added Mishra. PNN
