The much-hyped demarcation of the intake well of the Ind Barath Company- a power plant near lakhanpur under Brajarajnagar Assembly constituency in Jharsuguda district, fizzled out on Tuesday when the company authorities didn’t turn up in spite of an earlier notice.
The senior officers of the Hirakud dam project and nine officers of the Revenue department, including the Tehsildar of lakhanpur, had to wait for a day awaiting the officials of the firm but in vain.
According to sources, the company is going to establish a 700 MW thermal power plant at a cost of Rs 3,150 crore. But it is constructing an intake well inside the reservoir of the Hirakud dam and that too, in the restricted area to draw water for its requirement. It was alleged from the day one that the company was constructing the well illegally in the restricted area of the reservoir and without any valid permission either from the Revenue department or the dam authorities.
Hence, on the request of the dam authorities, the lakhanpur Tehsildar had made a demarcation of the said intake well land on November 24, 2012. Since, the reservoir was filled with water then, it couldn’t be done properly and it was decided that both the sides had to wait till summer. But it got clear that the intake well was constructed purely on the unauthorised land and the Tehsildar had given his report accordingly.
However, to get the things clear, the Superintending Engineer of the Hirakud Dam again wrote to the Tehsildar of lakhanpur for a second time demarcation during the summer and July 16 had been fixed for the work. However, when the dam authorities, Revenue staff and police were ready for the demarcation work, the company did not send its representatives on Tuesday.
“This shows the obdurate attitude of the company authorities,” commented Aswini Kumar Chowdhury, a senior official of the dam project. It has become clear that the company was constructing the intake well illegally and their absence on the day fixed for demarcation proves it, Chowdhury added.
However, none from the company could be available for their comment. Superintendent Engineer of Hirakud dam project RK Panda said that he would write to the State Government after getting the report of the lakhanpur Tehsildar regarding action to be taken against the company.