While a group of local residents under the fold of Janamanch are demanding restarting of the half- constructed Madanpur escape channel to control endemic flood in Brahmani river, another under the banner of Madanpur Cut Birodhi Manch Sangram Samiti is up against the project claiming that the project would create an ecological disaster.
According to Janamanch convener Duryodhan Parida, former Irrigation Minister Prahallad Mallick in 1962 had started the Madanpur escape channel aiming to drain flood water from the Brahmani river through the Hansua river to the Bay of Bengal near Barunei Muhan.
It was proposed that the escape channel would start from Madanpur and end in Praharajpur near Barunei Muhan. The length of the proposed escape channel was 8.70 km and its width was 400 meter. During 1960s, about 548.86 acres of land had been acquired for the purpose. But later, the project was stopped midway as the Rengali project started, thus making hundreds of villagers of Kendrapada and Jajpur vulnerable to regular floods every year.
He said 2011 flood was very horrific which had affected nearly 11 lakh people of Kendrapada and Jajpur and led to huge loss of property and life. The flood furry had prompted people to again up the ante for the completion of the Madanpur channel.
But the opponents alleged that earlier Pune-based experts, who had visited the area to conduct a research on the possible impact of the project, had opined against the construction of the channel. Besides, the then Chief Minister Biju Patnaik, while attending a meeting at Bantopatana after visiting Utikana area, had assured the locals not to carry out the project.
“Utikana area, which is said to be the rice bowl of Kendrapada, will be affected if the proposed project is constructed. The village water drainage system at Sasana, Chandannagar, Bilikana, Oupada, Dosia, Sansarfala, Kalupada, Barahipur, Badapalli, Maribapalli and Thakurpatana will be affected and the agriculture field will remain submerged with water. The soil from Gunti to Tiara cut is a black cutton soil. As a result, the black cotton soil would fail to protect the flood water. Thus people would face road communication problem in Pattamundai, Rajnagar and Mahakalapada blocks. The Sasanpeta mangrove forest under the Bhitarkanika National Park located near Barunei Mouth would take watery grave in the Bay of Bengal. Several areas which were never affected in flood would face flood,” stated Madanpur Cut Virodhi Manch Sangram Samiti convenor Balaram Singh.
The anti-project activists said there is no need to spend crores of rupees for constructing the Madanpur channel. Rather, the Government should take steps to strengthen the river embankments and dredging works in river beds so that flood water would flow below the danger mark without creating any breach, they opined.
When contacted, District Collector Niranjan Nayak stated that the Water Resources department has directed the district administration to provide a project report along with an estimate.
“The district administration has recently discussed with the supporters of the project and the opponents. The fate of the project will be decided after a through inquiry and examination of the pros and cons of project,” he maintained.