Kendrapara: The state government had spent around Rs 25 crore on construction of a mega lift irrigation project at Deulatara under Rajkanika block, but the purpose has remained unfulfilled as the project is yet to become operational. Reports said Rajkanika block does not have any canal to irrigate the farmlands. The farmers depend on rain or lift irrigation points to irrigate their farmlands.
Considering the difficulty of the farmers, the state government had ordered for construction of a mega LI project with an expenditure of Rs 25 crore at Deulatara which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in March 2019, ahead of the general elections.
The project was supposed to irrigate 1,200 acre of land in Deulatara, Muradpur, Ujanga, Sihopada, Namtara, Parinuapada and Haveliganda panchayats having around 10,000 farmers. As per sources, the project on Kharasrota river was put on trial run in 2020 but thereafter it has been left unused. It was alleged that the project was hastily inaugurated ahead of the elections, while many of its works remained incomplete.
The Water Resources department completed the work within a year after its foundation stone was laid. The farmers borrow from various sources for their farming. It becomes difficult for them to repay their loans if their crops face sapling blight due to adverse climatic conditions. The farmers have drawn the attention of the local MLA and the district Collector towards their plight but their pleas are yet to be addressed. They have demanded to resolve the snags in the project and make it operational.
Farmer leader Gayadhar Dhal said there is always a huge gap between making a promise and delivery. Kendrapara district always has lagged behind on this front, he quipped.
Notably, the state government had announced to make at least 35 per cent irrigation facilities available in every block, but this announcement is far from reality in Kendrapara district. Over 50 per cent of the 629 LI projects are lying defunct in Aul and Rajnagar blocks. When contacted, ADM Pitambar Samal assured that he would enquire about the non-functioning of the project.
