Bhawanipatna: People living in cut-off areas close to the Indravati reservoir under T Rampur block in Kalahandi district continue to live a life of drudgery and obscurity. This is because of the failure of the administration to construct a bridge over the reservoir, sources said here Monday. In the absence of an alternative, people continue to travel in rickety and country-made boats to attend to their work on the other side of the reservoir. However, mishaps frequently occur due to the condition of the boats. In the last decade, over 100 people have died due to boats that have capsized.
On the other hand, 80 persons have breathed their last due to a lack of healthcare facilities in the cut-off areas. Many have died while being taken to the other side in boats. This precarious situation has been continuing for over two decades now. The Indravati reservoir was constructed within the geographical boundaries of Thuamula Rampur (T Rampur) block in Kalahandi district.
Residents in most of the panchayats under blocks like Gopinathpur, Adri, Maligaon, Padepadar, and Ghutrukhal were declared displaced. This is because most of the land in these panchayats got submerged in the reservoir. A total of 6,333 families belonging to 24 villages were displaced for the construction of the reservoir spread over an area of 110 sq km. A large number of the displaced families relocated elsewhere while many of them settled in the highland area around the reservoir.
However, their problems compounded after the construction of the reservoir. They got cut off from other localities of the district. Communication and commuting became a problem as boats were the only way out. Due to the predicament, residents living in the cut-off areas demanded the construction of a bridge over the reservoir connecting it to Kenduguda ghat. The Odisha government sanctioned Rs 46 crore for the construction of a bridge in 2014. However, repeated cancellations of tenders came in the way of construction. The state government again floated a tender in 2021 with a plan outlay of Rs 54 crore. Later, it signed a contract with an agency, and work on the bridge started in the area which was scheduled for completion by 2024.
However, construction stopped after the agency entrusted with the work withdrew from the project due to unknown reasons. People living in the cut-off areas till now are not sure when the bridge will be completed. They continue to suffer silently as no one knows when work on the bridge will start again.