There is a long dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh in connection with construction of an illegal dam on the downstream of the Bansadhara river by the Andhra Government.
Though the issue is subjudice in the Supreme Court, the Andhra Government’s project is almost on the verge of completion which shows how it has ignored the concerns of Odisha. Once completed, the dam will affect people in Gajapati and Rayagada districts.
On April 24 and 25, a SC tribunal team had been to Odisha to assess the impact of the dam for filing a report for necessary steps. However, after a day of their visit, Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Minister Devinani Uma came with some high level officials to Hiramandalam and Katragada, 22 km from Paralakhemundi. He visited the places where the Bansadhara dam construction is going on and ordered the completion of the project by August.
Along with the Uma, Water Resources Department Chief K Rajendra Prasad, Apalla Naidu and a high level engineers’ team visited the spot. Uma directed clearly for expediting the dam project work. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu is slated to inaugurate the project in August.
It is said that the dam will help reserve 8 TMC water and make Srikakulam district a best irrigation district. Besides, it will provide water to all the blocks and villages of Srikalulam district.
“CM Naidu has given me the responsibility to complete the project in time for the benefit of the people. If the concerned department failed to finish the project in due time, stringent action will be taken against the officials,” warned Uma. Notably, the SC tribunal team had after inspecting the sites on Oidsha side declared the project as illegal. The team had visited both Kasinagar block of Gajapati district and Gunpur of Rayagada district and collected necessary records.
Notably, the Odisha Government has taken the matter to the SC in 2006 for justice. Seven years later, the SC had for the first time sent its team to investigate the matter in 2013 under the leadership of Judge Mukunda Nanda. Then again, four years later, the SC team again visited the sites. It seems nothing stops the Andhra Government in going ahead with the project.