Prohibitory orders after Rs 754 crore water supply project faces protests

KENDRAPARA: Prohibitory orders were clamped in three panchayats of Rajkanika and Aul blocks to prevent protestors from disrupting construction work of the mega piped water supply project which would cater to a large population of neighbouring Bhadrak district. The prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC will remain in force till October 8 in Bharigada and Barunadiha panchayats of Rajkanika and Balakati in Aul block. 

On the day, police arrested around 72 protestors including two former MLAs of Aul Debendra Sharma and Dolagobinda Nayak for blocking the road near the project site at Barunadiha village and violating the prohibitory order.

Sharma, also the convener of Kharasrota Banchao Sangram Samiti, said they are opposing the project as the river would dry up after its implementation. “Inadequate water flow in Kharasrota will gradually destroy farming in 220 riverside villages having a population of around four lakh in Aul and Rajkanika blocks. The government should first build a barrage in the river before diverting the water for the project,” he added.

The project has been approved by the State government under Basudha Yojana to supply drinking water to Chandabali, Tihidi, Basudevpur and Dhamnagar blocks besides 47 wards in Basudevpur municipality, Dhamanagar and Chandabali NACs of Bhadrak district. However, a section of the public in Kendrapara’s Rajkanika and Aul are opposing the project by staging agitation.

Samiti secretary Bidhan Das alleged that on the pretext of providing drinking water to people, the government is planning to supply water to multinational companies and big business houses to run their plants and industries. 

Kendrapara Sub-Collector Niranjan Behera said, the prohibitory orders were imposed to prevent agitators from creating any disturbance. “Restrictions have been imposed on public gathering in and around the 500 metre radius of the project site near the Kharasrota river. Security has been tightened in the area,” he said.
Kendrapara SP Sandeep Sampat Madkar and other senior police officials are camping near the project site. As many as 12 platoons of police force have been deployed to check any untoward incident.

Executive engineer of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) Basant Nayak said the Rs 754 crore project envisages diversion of water from Kharosotra river in Kendrapara to 91 gram panchayats with a population of around five lakh of four blocks in the neighbouring Bhadrak district for drinking water purposes. 

“The project will not dry up the river as we will lift only surplus water for the project through pipelines. We have already started construction work and the project would be completed within three months,” he added.