Kendrapara: Public anger over Kharasrota mega drinking water project in Rajkanika block had its repercussions on the three-tier panchayat elections as people at the project site of Barunadiha and Bharigada panchayats have elected the anti-project activists, a report said.
The anger of the people against establishment of the drinking water project had its reflections on the rural polls as the ruling BJD failed to attract the voters despite all efforts.
This is in sharp contrast to the landslide victory of the ruling party across the state.
The people at the project site of Barunadiha and Bharigada panchayats cast their votes in favour of office bearers of Kharasrota Nadi Banchao Sangram Samiti (KNBSS) and gave a message to the state government to keep off from implementing the project.
The office bearers of the KNBSS were contesting as sarpanchs and ward members the counting for which was held, Sunday.
The president of the KNBSS Duryodhan Mohanty was elected as sarpanch while Lakshmipriya Nayak was elected as samiti member from Barunadiha panchayat.
Moreover, the office bearers of KNBSS Pratima Rout, Ananta Charan Nayak, Kalyan Sethi, Narahari Behera, Hemant Kumar Patra, Geetanjali Nayak, Basantilata Sahu, Hemalata Sahu, Aparna Mohanty, Abhiram Behera, Archita Nayak and Nakuli Mallick won as ward members.
Similarly, villagers elected KNBSS activist Meena Kumari as sarpanch and Sarat Kumar Rout as samiti member in Bharigada panchayat.
Local intelligentsia Ganesh Chandra Samal, Pradip Kumar Tarai and Pratap Kumar Padhi said a mega drinking water project is being constructed at Nuahata of Bhadrak district for which construction of an intake well is underway near Barundiha and Bharigada panchayats to lift water from Kharasrota river.
Locals have been opposing the project for the last two years but the state government is going ahead with its implementation. The KNBSS had made it a main issue during the polls.
The ruling BJD made efforts to show that the public opinion was in support of the project. The ruling party went on to say that if the villagers elect party supported candidates, the state government will give a blank cheque for the development in these two panchayats.
The villagers pleaded the state government to immediately shut down the project as public opinion in these two panchayats is against it.
When contacted, KNBSS president Duryodhan Mohanty and office bearer Sarat Kumar Rout said that their agitation against the project will continue until the state government does away with the project.
PNN
