The State Congress has opposed the construction of a barrage on the Tel river, which is a major tributary of the Mahanadi.

Raising concerns, OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik said that the barrage will submerge vast area in Nabarangpur district while this will further reduce the inflow of water in the Mahanadi downstream in Odisha.

Patnaik said the project will affect thousands of people living in Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Bolangir and Subarnapur districts of Odisha.

The barrage is situated on the confluence of river Tel and Barahi, barely 500 meters away from Khaparadihi village in Chandahandi block of Nabarangpur. The Chhattisgarh Government has set a target to irrigate around 3,000 hectares of land from this project in their State. Rs 18 crore has been sanctioned in first phase and one private construction company has been assigned for the work, said Patnaik.

There will be no spillway or canal system in the project. Underground pipelines will be laid to irrigate farm lands. When Odisha Government is silent on the issue, the BJP Government at the Centre is nonchalant. After completion of the project, the four districts will remain complete dry in the lean season, lamented Patnaik.

The fishermen and farmers will be the worst sufferer. The tube wells and wells will dry up. On the other hand, vast area of Chandahandi block will be marooned. The Chhatisgarh Government has started work on the project long back. But the Nabarangpur district administration and the Odisha Government are unaware of this development till recently. This dispute must be put before the Mahanadi Tribunal for settlement, urged Patnaik.

He also demanded that Chhattisgarh stop monopoly on Mahanadi river systems and CM Naveen Patnaik must act accordingly and raise this issue in proper forum in Odisha’s interest.