Centre optimistic on oil reservoir project in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Joint Secretary of Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry, Sunjay Sudhir today held discussions with the Chief Secretary of Odisha over initiation of the much-awaited underground oil reservoir project (rock cavern) at Dankari near Chandikhole of Jajpur district.

"The State Government has assured to resolve all the issues that have been stalling the project for quite some time. We are hopeful that the matter will be sorted out and we can move ahead with the project since it is of national importance," the joint secretary said after holding discussions with the Odisha chief secretary at the secretariat in Bhubaneswar today.

It is to be noted that Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had announced the project on April 12, 2014 but it has been delayed as the state government has failed to provide the required 400-acre land.

Meanwhile, stone mafia continue to plunder the area with relentless illegal quarrying raising concerns over the viability of the underground project.