Clouds of uncertainty over irrigation projects

BERHAMPUR: Water starved Ganjam district continues to face dry days as major irrigation and drinking water projects fail to take off. Though initiated almost three decades back, irrigation projects like Ghatakeswar and Cheligada are yet see the light of the day.The Ghatakeswar multi-purpose project meant to irrigate drought-prone areas of Kukudakhandi and Rangeilunda blocks and supply drinking water to Gosaninuagaon area of Berhampur has not moved beyond official files and tender works. 

The foundation stone for the project was laid by two chief ministers JB Patnaik and Naveen Patnaik. Though tenders were floated in 2016, it was cancelled due to demonetisation. Later, it was re-tendered and RR Constructions was selected for the work, but it was cancelled on technical grounds. 

Again tenders for the project estimated at a cost of `111 crore was floated in 2017 and SN Construction (SNC) was selected with a target to complete it within 18 months. The SNC also deposited around `11 crore towards additional performance security (APS) in 2017. However, as per the norms, the tender was sent for approval of high-level committee. Even as more than a year has passed, the committee is yet to take any decision on the tender. 

As the Government has enhanced the labour wages and cost of the construction materials has also gone up, the firm has urged the Irrigation department to raise the project cost or refund the security money.Incidently, the State Government has already spent over `30 crore for the proposed project for rehabilitation of displaced families. 

Similarly, the ambitious Cheligada project meant to irrigate cultivable land in Gajapati and Ganjam districts remains a non-starter. The medium irrigation project was proposed to set up over Badjhore, a tributary of Vansadhara river, near Cheligada village of R Udayagiri block in Gajapati district. The project envisages to construct 250 metre long and 30 metre high dam with central spillway and its techno economical approval was issued by Central Water Commission in 2001. 

It was also proposed to supply one cumec (cubic metre per second) of drinking water to Berhampur and irrigate around 3,800 hectares in Ganjam district. This apart, it was planned to set up mini hydro power plants at three locations to generate 35 mw of electricity. As many as 360 families of Chheligada, Kakali, Sailanga, Talada, Suguba, Kandhadhia, Chadhipada, Nuagaon, Kuanpada, Abarsingi, Dumba, Nisangpur, Sindhabaa and Dambadhia villages will be displaced by the project. 

According to official sources, the cost of the project, which was estimated at `52.96 crore in 1999, went up to `381.94 crore in 2012. The estimated cost of project has escalated due to inordinately delay. Though tender was floated in 2015 with a target to complete it by March 2017, only 23 per cent of the work has been completed so far.