Cabinet clears irrigation project for Bijepur

BHUBANESWAR: The State Cabinet on Monday approved a sewerage project for Bhubaneswar’s sewerage district-II, mostly comprising areas of old town, at a cost of `173.8 crore.A decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to award the project to a new company since the one to which it awarded earlier failed to implement it properly. Chief Secretary AP Padhi told mediapersons that the project is likely to completed by 2020.

Laying of sewer network for Bhubaneswar sewerage districts I and II as a single package and sewerage district-III as a separate package was awarded to East Coast Construction Industries Limited, Chennai in 2007 at an estimate of `136 crore and `150 crore respectively. Since the work was not completed within the scheduled period even after several time extensions were granted, the State Government rescinded both the contracts of the company on November 16, 2015 after a long legal battle. Another writ petition was filed by a non-responsive builder challenging the tender evaluation process for sewerage district-II.

The Chief Secretary said on receipt of leave of the High Court and dismissal of the writ petition, the tender proposals for the sewerage district-II offered by Laxmi Construction, Ahmedabad at a cost of `173.8 crore was approved.The Cabinet also cleared Bijepur lift irrigation project which was announced by the Chief Minister on October 16. The project in Bargarh district named after renowned poet Gangadhar Meher will irrigate 32,000 hectares of which 19,000 ha is in Bijepur, 8000 ha in Sohela and 5000 ha in Barpali. Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout told mediapersons that the lift irrigation project will improve agricultural output in the area.

Padhi said the project to be completed by March, 2018 will cost about `1,246 crore. Water will be drawn from Hirakud dam through Bargarh main canal of about 17.6 kms at Barihapalli secondary storage structure, Padhi said and added that from the secondary structure, water will be delivered to the command area through a mix of gravity and pressured underground pipe system with outlets for every four hectares. Micro irrigation system will be adopted in about 30 pc of the total command area, he said and added that the project will be executed through  Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) mode.

Govt nod
Bijepur lift irrigation project was announced by the CM on Oct 16
The project in Bargarh district will irrigate 32,000 ha
Tender proposals 
for sewerage 
district-II offered by Laxmi Construction, Ahmedabad was approved by 
the Cabinet