By Our Correspondent
GAJPATI/BHUBANESWAR: On the direction of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, 5T Secretary VK Pandian visited Chheligada Irrigation Project in Gajapati and advised officials to start the work immediately as the Government had has taken steps to provide supply water to Ganjam and Gajapati districts through this Project by excavating a hill to construct tunnels for the same.
On the second day of his visit to Gajapati today, Mr. Pandian visited the Chheligada Irrigation Project area and held talks with the officers concerned. He then visited the tunnel works. Mr. Pandian advised the officials to start the irrigation project immediately. After listening to the complaints of the people who have been affected due to the project, the District Collector has been directed to take the necessary steps.
Chheligada Irrigation Project is being implemented in Jotgarh village in R. Udayagiri block of Gajapati. Rs 936.63 crore rupees will be spent for this. For this, a long tunnel of 1280 meters has been excavated. Through the tunnel, water will be supplied to Ganjam district. After the completion of this project, 5211 hectares metres of water can be stored and 5760 hectares of Ganjam district and 500 hectares of Gajapati district can be irrigated. This will also provide drinking water to Berhampur city. Brahmapur city can get one cubic meter (1 Cumecs) of water every second. Along with this, 36 MW of electricity can be produced through mini hydel project at three places like Shiali Lati, Kanakata and Dekili in Gajapati district.
Seven rehabilitation and resettlement colonies will be built for the affected people of 15 villages and three resettlement colonies have been already completed and people have started living there. The remaining 4 are under construction. Mr. Pandian advised to complete it as soon as possible. This project will be completed by 2025-26.
Later Mr. Pandian saw the work of a bus stand under construction at Gumma and suggested to raise the standard of its work. He spoke to the Mission Shakti women present there and praised their work. Later, he visited a transformed high school in Gumma and interacted with the students and teachers. He advised to mantain the new assets created in the school as their own property and encouraged the children to make Odisha proud by excelling in studies.
He then visited the proposed Paralakhemundi Bypass Road area and advised to complete the process so that its work can start soon. An expenditure of Rs 40 crore has been sanctioned for this bypass.
Later, he also visited a new town hall under construction there. Mr. Pandian informed that Rs 1.5 crore rupees will be provided to complete the work of the town hall.
“Gajapati district is the land of art and culture. Therefore, the Chief Minister has given permission to build a beautiful cultural building at a cost of Rs 5 crore in Parlakhemundi,” the 5T Secretary said.
Later, in the afternoon, he had a discussion with the officials of Ram Sagar and Krushna Sagar minor irrigation projects. He said that steps will be taken to provide more facilities to the farmers of the irrigated areas.
Rs 10 crore will be spent for the restoration and beautification of Ram Sagar. For this, 5T Secretary suggested to prepare DPR within 15 days. Similarly, restoration of Krushna Sagar in Gosani Nuagaon block will be done at a cost of Rs 15 crore. 5T Secretary advised to make DPR for this plan within 15 days.
