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Bhubaneswar: The Lower Suktel Irrigation project, touted to be the potential lifeline of Bolangir district, ran into rough weather after the district administration failed to start the project construction work by March 31, the deadline set by the Centre.
Several rallies, protests, bandhs and demonstrations by activists of the Lower Suktel Action Committee (LSAC) which has been spearheading to expedite the project since its inception, didn’t cut much ice with hardly any construction activities at the site.
Earlier, bowing to LSAC pressure, which had launched a relay-hunger strike the state government had set September 27 deadline to start the project work. But the district administration could not proceed much as talks with the activists of Budi Anchal Sangram Parishad (BASP), demanding adequate compensation for the oustees failed to pacify the anti-project group.
However Bolangir legislator Anang Uday Singhdeo said, “The Lower Suktel project construction work will be started during mid-April.”
Few days back, replying to a discussion on the demand for grants of the Water Resources Department in the Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kalpataru Das had announced that work on the Lower Suktel project will be started from April after getting investment clearance.
Foundation stone for the project was laid by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in 2001 when the project cost was 217 crore and this has escalated to nearly 1100 crore, according to officials.
The project, covering an area of 5216 hectres, is estimated to submerge 16 villages fully and 10 partially. It will render around 14380 people of 4160 families homeless.
