Chhatrapur: Rampant drawing of groundwater by the chemical division of Grasim Industries Limited through deep bore wells from Kalyanpur area under Ganjam notified area council (NAC) has severely affected cashew farming and other cultivations, alleged locals.
Ground water has not only gone down, the company is shying away from absorbing the local youths, they said at a tripartite meet held Thursday at the conference hall of the collectorate here. The meeting was presided over by Collector Premchandra Choudhary.
The meeting comprising the district administration, representatives of nearby villages and the company was organised as people paralysed the water project of the Grasim Industries alleging that their demands were not fulfilled.
Sanjiv Reddy who was representing locals alleged that farming activities in the area have been severely affected and the tube-wells have gone defunct due to lower ground water level as the company authorities are drawing excess water. The villagers drew the attention of the Collector to water recharge and compensation for cashew farmers who have suffered losses due to water scarcity.
On the other hand, company representatives assured that local eligible youths would be absorbed once there are vacancies. It is not about any particular village, emphasis would be given to the entire region in the matter of appointment, they said.
A technical team comprising officials of agriculture, horticulture, irrigation, soil conservation and lift irrigation departments would conduct surveys at the village and a decision would be taken on the basis of its report, said the Collector after hearing both the parties at the meeting.
The company should maintain transparency in the matter of employment, the Collector added.
He further said that there is no scarcity of funds for projects like pond beautification, construction of roads and drains, irrigation and housing units.
Among others Chhatrapur sub-collector Debabrata Sahoo, SDPO Ramesh Chandra Sethi, Ganjam tehsildar Abani Kumar Sahoo, Grasim Industries unit head SS parik HR head KG Ganerwal were present at the meeting.
PNN