Hundreds of displaced people of the Multipurpose Hirkud Big Dam Project led by the Budi Anchal Sangram Samittee (BASS) staged a rally at the lower PMG here on Saturday demanding fulfilment of all the promises made by the State Government for rehabilitation and resettlement of around 26,561 families of 369 villages displaced from undivided Sambalpur district.
BASS president Basudev Bhoi said that during the displacement for the project in 1955-56, only around 11,000 families were settled themselves in the periphery of the Hirakud Reservoir out of 26,561 families.
In the absence of a proper Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy in the State during the period, private lands were acquired applying Special land Acquisition Act in a throw away price starting from 18.12 paise to maximum of 100 rupees per acre, he added. “So far, the payment of compensation is concern, till date 9,944 displaced families have not been paid compensation.
Due to our consistent struggle, State had once decided to pay ex-gratia to 3,540 families only in March 11, 1993, sanctioning Rs 2,66,00,000 leaving 6,404 displaced families,” said Bhoi, adding, “However, many families among these 3,540 families have not yet received the compensation amount.”
Following the rally, the BASS submitted a memorandum to the Revenue Minister and once again requested to resolve all the outstanding problems of the Hirakud displaced families and to fulfil all the promises made by the State to them from time to time.