While tribal people of the State have been pressing for their rights over Jal, Jungle and Jamin (water, forest and land), a group of villagers of Amghat under Rajgagnpur tehsil has de-linked the water connection from Nakati nallah to the colonies of OCl India and some neighbouring areas since Monday last.
The protesters, besides claiming their rights over the water, are reportedly demanding Rs 30 lakh as the arrear of last five decades and thereafter, payment of Rs 1 lakh per month from the OCl. The OCl authorities have filed a FIR in the Rajgagnpur police station, which has been registered but no action has been taken yet.
The entire colony consisting of residents and neighbouring areas are facing serious water crisis since last eight days but the police and the district administration are yet to take any steps even if eight days have passed.
According to sources, since establishment of the OCl India, the makers of much famed Konark brand cement about five decades ago, the company had installed its water pump in the Nakati nallah, located near Amghat village area, after obtaining necessary Government permission.
As the demand of the local tribals over their rights on Jal, Jungle and Jameen and implementation of the PESA Act is gaining momentum, the locals of the Amghat recently had staged demonstration, demanding their rights over the water sources of Nakata nallah and also had claimed that the OCl water pump is illegal, since it had not been approved by their gram sabha.
In a letter addressed to the Governor of Odisha on April 4 from Maghat Panitanki Gram Sabha, the villagers of Amghat claimed that the water connection of the OCl is illegal. In their letter, they claimed that their gram sabha has decided that the OCl India should pay Rs 30 lakh as arrear for taking water since last so many years and from April, 2018 onwards it should pay Rs1 lakh per month as the monthly charges to their gram sabha.
They also disapproved of the Government’s permission given to OCl India to draw water from Nakti nallah source.
Executive Director, OCl India ltd, Rajgagnpur Ganesh Jirkuntwar said, "We are in discussion with protesters as well as with administration for a solution but it is really painful that our difficulties have not yet been addressed."
Significantly, Birmitrapur MlA and tribal leader of Sundargarh district George Tirkey, who is fighting for PESA, has condemned the act.