Locals oppose proposed Subarnarekha port in Balasore

Balasore: Tension prevailed at Kankadapal under Baliapal block in Balasore district today after locals ransacked the temporary embankment of the proposed Subarnarekha port.

Alleging the proposed project will affect their farmland, crops and livelihood, hundreds of locals of Kankadapal destroyed the embankment built by the concerned authorities.

After the State Government transferred 692.68 acres of land to the port developers, the concerned authorities had started the construction work for the project.

The supporters of the project said that the port will help in the development of the area while the 'Chaoumukha Bhitamati Surakshya Committee', a local body is opposing project citing that the project will affect the livelihood of several people.

The Committee alleged that the construction of the project was taken without taking the consent of the locals.

"Some people after being influenced by the local leaders were opposing the project. Now they have realised what sort of development the port bring and 90 percent of them now want the project here," supporter of Subarnarekha port project, Kamal Lochan Choudhary.

"The construction of the port will submerge the paan, rice, ground nuts, cashew nuts and other cultivation in the area," alleged a local opposing the project.

"No major construction work has been taken up yet. We have just filled the road with sand bags which some locals are regularly opposing leading to the delay," informed project contractor, Jeevan Jatin Dash.

"As no acquisition on private land has been done, we are only carrying out the work on government land. Therefore, those who have encroached the government land will be evicted," Balasore district Collector, Ramesh Chandra Rout.