Encroachment at Deras dam: Odisha govt orders removal after MP’s allegations

A day after Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi shot a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik alleging that the minor irrigation project at Deras dam under Chandaka area on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar has been obstructed illegally, the State government accepted the allegation.

In response, the administration has ordered the Tehsildar and the Executive Engineer to remove the obstruction by making the land encroachment-free.

After receiving complaints from local farmers regarding the matter, Sarangi visited the place and held discussions with local residents. 

After examining the truth behind the matter by digging some portion of the place, they decided to send letters to the Chief Minister and the concerned authorities with all the related supporting documents requesting to take proper action to remove the illegal encroachment within three days. 

Land encroachment matter and blockage of Deras MIP Canal in Chandaka area by influential Kruthika Prabhakaran:

Have written to Hon'ble @CMO_Odisha today with two requests
-Ensure flow of water in the Canal to the land of farmers
-Demarcate the land & remove all encroachments. pic.twitter.com/McQzEQnA3V

— Aparajita Sarangi, Member of Parliament (@AprajitaSarangi) September 8, 2023

“Bhagabatipur & Giringaput mouzas, belonging to Kantabada GP and Mendhasal GP respectively, are located around 20 kms away from Bhubaneswar City. The villagers / farmers of these two mouzas met the undersigned about a month back and had complained against one influential woman by the name of Krutika Pravakaran associated with Triveni Group of Companies. It is engaged in mining and other ventures in Odisha. It was alleged by the villagers that this influential woman has been on a buying spree and in line with a design to grab as much land as she can. She has encroached upon around 150 acres of land in these two mouzas. On the request of villagers/farmers of the area, I visited the place on 20 August 2023 and was aghast to find barbed wire fencing with granite pillars along with a Gate constructed to restrict the entry of outsiders to this huge patch of land," the MP's letter read.

“MIP Irrigation Canal within this patch of 150 acres encroached by Krutika Pravakaran. Interestingly, the villagers / farmers call this entire area as Pandian Project and the entire land is called as Pandian Land. It may kindly be verified, if wished so. About 400 mtrs of Govt Irrigation Canal within this encroached land has been blocked by the ‘Encroacher’ two years back and as such around 300 acres of land stand deprived of Irrigation. Poor farmers are suffering and complaining. However, their grievance of Canal blocking by the encroacher has not been mitigated so far by the State Government," the MP wrote in her letter.