Even as Odisha is still fighting against Chhattisgarh to get a legitimate water share from the Mahanadi, the neighbouring State seems to have hatched another conspiracy by undertaking a mega project on the Tel river only to deprive several districts of Odisha of water.
Sources said that the Chhattisgarh Government has undertaken a mega irrigation project under which several barrages are being constructed on the Tel river to irrigate over 3,000 acre agricultural land. The project is on the confluence point of the Tel and Barahi rivers, just 500 metre away from Khaparadihi village under Chandahandi block in Nabarangpur district.
The neighbouring Government has sanctioned Rs 18 crore in the first phase and assigned the work to a private construction firm, Amit Construction’ of Chhattisgarh.
Sources said that the concrete wall is in progress and a skilled technical team equipped with advanced technology has been deployed for the construction of the project.
The purpose behind the project is to obstruct the Tel and Barahi river water and use the water for irrigation in Chhattisgarh villages, said a report quoting Amit Construction in-charge lP Chaturbedi.
However, the stock water will not be discharged through canal or pump but through underground pipes to irrigate lands.
Sources said that Chhattisgarh had planned the project many years ago to provide irrigation to 3,000 hectares of land in 30 villages under Deobhog block in the State.
But the project, once completed, would stop flow of water and put thousands of people in trouble in Khaparadihi mouza under the Chandahandi block. Besides, many villages of the block would be marooned, said locals.
The Tel river, a tributary of the Mahanadi, flows though Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Balangir and Subarnapur districts in Odisha.