Gunupur/Kashinagar: Days after the Vamshadhara Water Disputes Tribunal passed an order in favour of Andhra Pradesh for construction of a barrage on the river at Neradi, the Deputy Chief Minister of the neighbouring state visited the work site Friday and reviewed the project work, a report said.
The tribunal passed its order June 21, sparking sharp resentment among the residents of Gunupur in Rayagada district as well in Kashinagar of Gajapati district.
This is because the construction of the barrage at Neradi will lead to severe water scarcity in the affected areas of Rayagada and Gajapati districts during summer.
The barrage will also damage large tracts of farmlands in these areas of both the districts in the river basins. The residents are up in arms over the inability of the state government in protecting the interest of the residents of its own state.
As if this was not enough, the visit of the Deputy Chief Minister Dharmana Krishna Das has only added salt to the injuries of the residents.
The team led by the Deputy Chief Minister comprised Anil Kumar Yadav, water resources minister, V Kalavati, Palkunda MLA, Reddy Shanti, Patapatna MLA, D Srinivas, Member of Legislative Council (MLC), the local District Collector and chief engineer of the water resources department.
The team visited the work site and reviewed the project. The order has come as a morale booster for the Andhra government as it has begun efforts to expedite the project work on the river.
The opposition BJP has flayed the state government on the tribunal’s order. It has termed the development as an intelligence failure as the state government has no knowledge about Andhra government’s plan to expedite work at the project site after the tribunal order.
Meanwhile, a state level delegation of the BJP visited the riparian villages Sara, Badinga, Palsingh villages under Kashinagar block as well as Gunupur and Panidangar village under Gudari block of Rayagada district and interacted with the residents on the situation.
The team led by BJP state vice-president Bhrugu Buxipatra comprised former Koraput MP Jayaram Pangi, Paralakhemundi MLA K Narayan Rao and Rayagada district party president Siba Patnaik.
The BJP team visited the project-affected areas in these two districts and took stock of the situation. The team members after visiting the areas briefed the media persons at a presser held at the Gunupur dak bungalow Friday afternoon. In the presser, Buxipatra flayed the state government.
He alleged that the tribunal order went in support of Andhra government as the state government failed to project its stand during hearing.
The party members demanded that the state government construct a project at Panidangar on the upstream of the river to protect the interests of its residents.
The party leaders also flayed the one-sided order of the tribunal which directed the Odisha government to bear half of the expenditure of the Neradi project if it goes for construction of another project on the upstream of the river.
The party leaders demanded that the Odisha government move Supreme Court against the tribunal order to protect its interest. The BJP delegation Saturday organised a presser at Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district and tore into the state government for its inability to protect the interests of its residents.
Buxipatra alleged that over 2000 acres in both the districts will be affected by the barrage if it comes up at Neradi. The barrage construction will lead to loss of homes and livelihood of farmers, daily wagers, labourers and tribals in the affected region.
He alleged that Andhra government might not have gone for construction of a barrage at Neradi if the state government had gone for construction of the Panidangar irrigation project.
Among other party leaders, Kashinagar block chairperson CH Simadri, senior party leader Nrusingha Charan Patanaik were present at the press meet.
PNN
