Naveen inaugurates water supply project in Berhampur

Berhampur: Amid tight security and protest by the opposition BJP, chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday inaugurated the integrated Janibili drinking water project here on Sunday. The project, claimed to be first of its kind in the state in urban and rural water supply sector in terms of construction, operation and maintenance, has been built at a cost of Rs 490 crore.
“The project will solve the nagging drinking water problem of Berhampur,” said chief minister in his brief address. Besides Berhampur, the project will also supply water to 53 villages in 16 panchayats of Aska, Hinjili, Sheragada, Dharakote, Rangeilunda and Kukudakhandi blocks in the district. “Around 8.51 lakh people, including 6.75 lakh in urban and 1.76 lakh in rural areas, would be benefited,” said urban development minister Niranjan Pujari.

In the first phase, water supply would be made in five wards and partially in six wards of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC). In the second phase, the work for which will be completed by the end of current month, eleven more wards (including the six partially-covered wards) in the urban area will be covered, said an officer. In the third and fourth phases, water supply would be made in rest 24 wards in the city, an official source said.

Ganjam district unit of BJP protested against the inauguration of the project, stating that it is still incomplete. Several BJP supporters, including district unit president Kanhu Charan Pati, staged dharna near Gandhi statue at Gandhi Nagar ahead of the visit of chief minister. Police took them into custody.

Earlier, police had detained several BJP and Congress supporters. “We released them after departure of the chief minister,” said SP (Berhampur) Pinak Mishra.