Post News Network
Dharmasala, Feb 21: Even as a sum of `68.6 crore is outstanding on various
industrial firms in Kalinganagar
towards water dues to be paid to Jaraka irrigation division here in Jajpur
district, companies are allegedly not making any efforts to repay their arrears.
These industrial plants based in Kalinganagar Industrial Estate are using water drawn from rivers Brahmani and Kharasrota and many of them are even using ground water to meet their water needs in their plants.
Except Jindal Stainless Steel, a majority of the companies have evaded paying their dues and owes an outstanding of `68.6 crore. They have evaded clearing their dues despite a
series of reminders sent to them from the irrigation division office in Jaraka which is assigned with the task to sell water and collect dues from various
industrial firms.
The matter came to fore following information obtained under Right to Information (RTI) Act. Jindal Steel has only signed a deal with Jaraka
irrigation division and is learnt to have cleared all its necessary dues.
According to information, the state government’s apex industrial promotion body Industrial Development Corporation of Orissa (IDCO) is
drawing 591480 cusecs of water from river Brahmani and selling it to various industries in the region for which it owes an outstanding of `55.73 crore on Jaraka irrigation division.
Another company, Nilachal Ispat Nigam Ltd (NINL), is drawing 690371 cusecs of water from river Kharasrota to meet its water needs. Similarly,
Rohit Ferrotech has an outstanding of `12.92 lakh.
Executive engineer Bikram Keshrai Swain in his reply to the RTI query has said that the companies are
deliberately avoiding paying dues
despite a series of reminders
following which he has informed his higher-ups in Bhubaneswar in a letter dated February 11 this year.