By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/RAJKANIKA: Days after the State Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Pratap Jena along with local Aul MLA Pratap Deb, laid the foundation stone for drinking water projects under Basudha Scheme, in Rajkanika block of Kendrapara, local farmers led by 2 former MLAs Dola Nayak and Deba Sharma, who have been opposing lifting of water from River Kharasrota for a project in Bhadrak, again back to agitation route and blocked Cuttack-Chandabali State Highway near Achyutpur close to Gadagadi Ghat Bridge.
Protesters under the banner of Kharasrota Banchao Sangram Samiti have resorted to road blockade resulting hardship in traffic movement and as a result of which , buses and trucks were unable to ply on the State Highway. Local farmers have been demanding to halt any construction work, construct a barrage and formation of expert to study environmental impact on Bhitarkanika and Kharasrota ecosystem.
Since, the implementing agency, Hyderabad based, MEIL, has started ground work for the project and few days, back, Minister Jena and local MLA Deb, laying the foundation stone, farmers have intensified their agitation opposing lifting of water for a mega drinking water projects worth Rs 892.14 Crore for Bhadrak district under Basudha Scheme.
The Samiti members threatened that they will intensify their protest if the State government does not postpone the project work till barrage constructed and the environment impact assessment by an expert committee on Bhitarkanika and Kharasrota ecosystem is completed. Local farmers in Rajkanika and Aul blocks are arguing that while preparing the project for Bhadrak, the State Government had skipped rivers Baitarani, Salandi, Mantei and Kansabansa which are major rivers in the State and instead preferred to extract water from Kharasrota, the smallest river in the State.Locals living both sides of River Kharasrota ,feels their lifeline will be dried if water lifted for two projects.
Lack of normal flow of fresh water will increase saline ingression upstream. This shall affect the local flora and fauna as well as the livelihoods of farmers and fishermen dependent upon Brahmani and Kharasrota waters. Similarly, commercially important species like fresh water shrimp, mullets, mud crabs and bhekti are expected to disappear, leading to a decline in incomes of thousands of fishermen of Kendrapada district, they said.
