As Govt fails to rehabilitate affected people
The construction work of the Kanpur irrigation project over river Baitarani, which was scheduled to be completed by end of 2013-14 fiscal, is likely to be delayed further due to the displacement problems, said sources in the concerned Chief Engineer’s office.
The project, once constructed at Basudevpur under Joda block in Keonjhar district, would irrigate 47, 000 hectares of land in 237 villagers under five blocks, Joda, Champua, Jhumoura, Keonjhar and Patna in the district. The construction work of the project, which began way back in 2003, has virtually stopped as the State Government has failed to rehabilitate the project affected people of 16 villages, Murusuan, Govindapur, Chamakpur, Rugudi, Hariharpur, Daduan, Dhobakuchada, Ravensawapura A, Ravensawapura B, Birikala, Kandra, Basudevpur, Bileipada, lahanda, Shankarpur and Balavadrapur.
Earlier, it was announced that only 12 villages, including two partially, will be affected. Then, the State Government had announced to 10 decimal residential land, besides agricultural land, to each displaced family as compensation. But sources said the affected families excepting Kandra’s 48 and Basudevpur’s 58 families are yet to be rehabilitated.
It was estimated that Rs 1,066 crore would be spent for the project. But now the cost would cross `2,000 crore if completion target is fixed for 2020, sources revealed.
Now, the affected people are also planning to gherao Raj Bhavan soon to press for their demands, sources added.