Cheligada Dam project near Berhampur on fast-track

BERHAMPUR: After being put on the backburner for decades, the Cheligada irrigation project in Ganjam district has finally been put on fast-track by the Government. The project will irrigate lands in Ganjam and Gajapati districts, supply drinking water to Berhampur city and generate power. As part of the project, the State Government had decided to dam river Badajhar near Cheligada with financial assistance from Japan. The Ministry of Environment gave environmental clearance to the project recently while the Central Water Commission gave green signal about two years ago.
According to sources, the project is targeted to provide about 50 lakh gallons of drinking water per day besides irrigating more than 7,500 hectares of agriculture land. The project also envisages setting up of a hydroelectric project.
Though the project was planned decades ago, but no headway could be made due to protest by the families to be affected. Meanwhile, the State Government formulated a new rehabilitation policy. As per the policy, before construction of the project, the families to be affected would be rehabilitated properly with measures to make them self-employed. Accordingly construction of the rehabilitation colony has been taken up on priority basis. As per enumeration done in 2001, as many 371 families were identified to be affected by the project. However, the recent enumeration put the figure at 420 families. As per the new rehabilitation policy, each displaced families would be given 10 decimal of homestead land besides two acre of fully irrigated land.
According to Gajapati district administration sources, in the first phase as many as 220 families out of 420 would be rehabilitated at Gadasamantarapur in Digapahandi block on 275 acres acquired already. Besides, facilities an all-weather road from Digapahandi through Ghodahada dam is being constructed.
Necessary power sub-station, school, playground, weekly market are coming up and to supply safe drinking water to the rehabilitation colony, tube-wells are being sunk. Sources said to provide health service to the rehabilitated families a government dispensary would come up soon. Also steps have been taken to rehabilitate another 44 families at Chandragiri and search is on for suitable land to rehabilitate the rest families at other places, the sources added. Meanwhile, the State Government has released Rs 80 crores towards payment of compensation and construction of rehabilitation colony. It has also directed officials concerned to complete the rehabilitation process by March, 2010.

Source: NewIndpress