Bhawanipatna: Vedanta Alumina refinery has reportedly made an effort to draw water from Tel river near Kesinga in Kalahandi district for its plant there. The company is bracing up to lay a pipeline, but the locals have strongly opposed the move.
It will be the second pipeline of the company to draw water from the river. Angry over the company’s move to exploit the river water, locals have warned of agitation.
In fact, many villagers are bracing up for a legal recourse against such move. According to local residents, the company has been drawing 1 lakh litres of water daily from Tel river since 2005.
As a result, water level in the river has plummeted drastically, leading to water crisis in the area during summer.
“On the other hand, the company is not working on its promises it made to the villagers regarding developing the peripheral area,” locals fumed.
Now, the company is in need of more water and, hence, is making an effort to construct an intake well near Kurudapada.
Earlier, a gram sabhas had been held at Tahansir and Kanteisira over the project. At these gram sabhas, people of both the villages insisted on fulfilling their various demands first.
Aside from constructing the intake well, the company has sought permission of the local NAC authorities to lay a pipeline on the NAC land. Locals have opposed the move.
“The second pipeline will worsen the water crisis in the region. So the NAC should not grant permission for the project. Though the company is using the river water, it has failed to work on the peripheral development,” alleged local residents like former NAC chairman Ramakant Gouda, journalist Suresh Agrawal and Anil Jain.
They said that they would move court on the issue. The company authorities were contacted over phone, but they did not attend the call.
Meanwhile, the NAC has issued a letter to the company after receiving a complaint from locals.
PNN
