Bolangir: Even as four months have passed works on the Lower Suktel irrigation project in this district has failed to take off as the issues of proper rehabilitation and compensation continues to be the sore point for the dam affected persons, a report said Saturday.
Works on the project is in limbo since last four months demanding proper rehabilitation and compensation. The administration tried its best to start works on the project but the agitation by the dam affected persons has foiled their move.
The district administration tried to start works on the project November 26 but the affected villagers opposed their move forcing the collector and the project chief engineer to return back. Meanwhile, the difference over proper rehabilitation and compensation for the displaced villagers of Lower Suktel project has wedged a sharp divide among the supporters of the project.
This was evident when hundreds of people from the affected villages staged demonstration outside the Lower Suktel project office, office of the land acquisition officer and at the collector’s residence Friday. The agitators submitted a memorandum adressed to the governor demanding proper rehabilitation and compensation to all the 29 affected villages under 2013-Land Acquisition Act.
The same day another section of villagers under the aegis of Budi Anchal Agragami Sangh staged demonstration outside the collectorate demanding to immediately start works on the project by releasing proper compensation. The district emergency officer in received their memorandum in the absence of the collector.
The agitators warned to shut down the collectorate and the Lower Suktel project office if work does not begin soon on the project. The twin protests have brought out the fissures among the dam supporters in the open.
Notably, the project which received administrative clearance in 1999 was initially opposed by the residents of 29 affected villages. Later, residents of 14 villages extended their support to the project and received their compensation which helped in starting works on the project. The compensation was then distributed under 2006-Land Acquisition Act.
However, the dispute began when the 2013 land acquisition Act was implemented in the state. The government said that the new act will be implemented only in 15 villages as residents of 14 villages have already received their compensations.
The government move drew lot of flak as the affected villagers insisted for implementation of 2013 Land Acquisition Act. The government gave away ex-gratia to the 14 villagers stating that their compensation value has been equaled to the compensations under 2013- Act.
Some supported the government move while others objected and stropped the dam works demanding to implement the 2013 Act in the whole project area. Since then, the administration has been reiterating for compensation and rehabilitation as per rules but the affected villagers have refused to budge from their demand.
PNN