By Our Correspondent
KENDRAPARA/BHUBANESWAR: With the Kharasrota Banchao Sangram Samiti, gearing up to march to Bhubaneswar to register protest against the Rs 892.14 Crore drinking water project for Bhadrak, water for which, is planned to be lifting from River Kharasrota near Gadadadi Ghat Bridge connecting Aul-Rajkanika block of the Kendrapara, BJP National Vice-President , Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda on Tuesday termed the controversial project at Bharigada-Barunadiha Panchayats of Rajkanika block as illegal and anti-people and demanded immediate reconsideration of the decision of the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department(RWSS) to lift water. It is worth mentioning here that the mega drinking water project at Bharigada is facing stiff opposition from the locals. On August 12, as many as 24 local villagers were arrested for opposing the project.
The BJP National VP, Panda, who twice represented Kendrapara in Lok Sabha, in an indirect attack on local MLA Pratap Deb, demanded that such project required environmental impact assessment report backed by public hearing. “In this case, nothing has been followed, which aggravate the local anger, and local resistance is justified as the River Kharasrota running shortage of water at both lower and upper catchments. “Even during Monsoon, one can imagine the situation here”, Panda said while visiting the project site , work for which is being carried by Hyderabad based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited .
The social assessment has also been skimmed over– neither have the public hearings taken place nor have the locals had a say in this project. In the name of social impact assessment, the administration suggests measures for rehabilitation and redress of populations affected by it, Panda, who is BJP’s in Charge of Assam and Delhi, added.
“The way the project is being executed is wrong and anti-people. Firstly, there is a requirement of holding public hearings for such big projects. But the government has violated the norms. The State government has started the project without even consulting with the local population through public hearings. It is a major crime,” Panda said after holding discussion with the Samiti memebers.
“The apprehensions of the local residents need to be addressed. The local leaders held repeated discussions with the administration and suggested that the quantity of water in the river should be measured during April-May months when the water level is very low. Presently during the peak of monsoon, the water level is so low. Just imagine, what would the scenario during summer,” Panda said.
The former MP Panda met the families of protestors who have been arrested and jailed for raising voice against the drinking water project. He termed their arrest ‘illegal’. “Arresting those protesting against the project is illegal. Those lodged in jail should be released immediately and a public heading should be held,” the senior BJP leader Panda added . Former MLAs of Aul, Dolagobinda Nayak , Deba Sharma, several others were among those present.
