Compensation, rehabilitation eludes Rengali project displaced

Bhubaneswar: Even after 40 years, compensation and rehabilitation package still eludes 3,000 families who were earlier displaced for the Rengali multipurpose project in Odisha. Protesting such apathy, the Rengali Displaced Suraksha Samiti (RDSS) on Saturday blocked the National Highway 49 and 149 at Pallahada and Khamar.

Vehicular traffic was disrupted for over two hours following the roadblock agitation staged by the Samiti on a three-point charter of demands.

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“It is unfortunate that people of 28 villages for Rengali Dam and 11 villages for Gahira Dam have not received compensation nor have been rehabilitated till now,” said president, Rengali Displaced Suraksha Samiti, Netranand Samal.

The Samiti alleged that over 3,000 families of 220 villages were displaced for the Rengali project that was inaugurated by former prime minister late Indira Gandhi in 1973.

“The affected people of 263 villages for the Rengali multi-purpose project are yet to get justice even after 40 years,” said Vice-president Angul Zilla Parishad, Indramani Patnaik.