Loisingha: The submergence-prone area of the Lower Suktel irrigation project in Bolangir is said to be rich with minerals (manganese). Locals affiliated to Budi Anchal Sangrami Parishad (BASP) accused the government of conspiring to hand over the mineral-bearing land to the mining firms and private companies.
Notably, BASP is a local outfit fighting against the Lower Suktel project.
“The civic body polls are approaching. The Lower Suktel dam project is being made an issue. The government is buying the land in the submergence-prone area of the project at throwaway price from people in the name of projects. It has hatched a conspiracy to sell the land to some miners through a secret understanding,” alleged functionaries of BASP.
Long awaited Lower Suktel project, which remains incomplete over years, is said to be a lifeline for the people of Bolangir district. The project was initiated since 1997, but its construction is nowhere near completion owing to various bottlenecks. Various issues related to the project and the oustees have not yet been resolved.
A few days ago, a high level committee comprising the chief secretary, 5T secretary, the chairperson of the Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) had visited the project site, which rekindled hope among the people about resumption of the stalled work.
However, BASP perceived the visit of the high level committee on different perspective.
Rengali samiti member as well as the member of the BASP Vyasa Thanapati alleged, “Since 1997, there has been an effort to submerge 29 villages by starting the work of the Lower Suktel project. BASP has been opposing it since its inception.”
He expressed his apprehensions over the state government’s sudden focus on the project. “Six months ago, officials of the Geological Survey of India had visited submergence-prone areas like Kumiapalli, Kapilabahal, Podamunda, Bagadunguri and Rengali.
The officials had surveyed the area and dug at different places. It was known that there was huge reserve of manganese underneath. With a depth between 5ft and 150 ft, there are manganese and other minerals. The government and some mafia have set their sight on the valuable mineral-bearing land in the submergence prone area,” Thanapati lamented.
An effort is on to buy land from the people and hand them over to the mining companies. The visit of the top officials points to this suspicion, he added.
PNN
