Jajpur: Works on the construction of Chandikhole underground oil storage depot, the 4th in the country, on Dankari foothill in this district is yet to gain pace even as a Central team Wednesday visited the site and took stock of the project.
The team comprising four senior officials including the joint secretary of Union Petroleum Ministry visited the Dankari foothill and spoke to the district officials and police on the issue for 20 minutes before leaving the site.
The district administration represented by ADM Mihir Kumar Das, sub-collector Narayan Chandra Dhal, Dharmasala tehsildar Prabhas Kumar Behura and local police officials accompanied the Central team.
The Union government had approved a plan outlay of Rs 3800 crore for establishment of the depot over 773.60 acre of rocky surface in the annual budget of 2017-18. This would be the fourth such depot while other three being in Vishakhapatnam, Mangalore and Pudur. The Indian Strategic Petroleum Corporation Limited has been assigned with the construction of the project.
Observers alleged the Dankari hill is in the clutches of some influential political leaders as it has become money minting machine for them. They do not want to forego their stake on the hill and hence the project is being delayed deliberately.
The Central team visited the site following a report was published in Odia daily Dharitri May 1, on the prevailing uncertainty over the establishment of the depot. However, the members didn’t speak to the locals and media before leaving the site. This raised questions about the sincerity of the Centre in completing the project.
Earlier, the state Chief Secretary had March 20, 2018 directed the district administration to close down the quarries on the hill to make way for establishment of the oil depot. Later, the tehsildar sought the help of police to close down the quarries on the hill.
But surprisingly, the same tehsildar also argued in favour of the black stone quarry leaseholder on the hill and sent a letter to the Collector in this regard. He was of the view that the state government will incur financial loss of Rs 1413, 86, 91,830 if the quarries are shut.
Meanwhile, the administration served notices on the leaseholders to close down their quarries but they are yet to be complied with.
When contacted, the sub-collector said that the Central team visited the site but no decision has been made during the visit.
