Demand for Vansadhara-Rushikulya-Mahanadi River linking project

BERHAMPUR: Many organisations of Berhampur and south Odisha have come together to organise a march from Kashinagar in Gajapati district to Dhauli near the state capital, demanding the linking of Vansadhara, Rushikulya and Mahanadi rivers of Odisha. The long march is also aimed at putting pressure on the Government to facilitate the process that would help solve the water crisis of Berhampur city and water scarcity for irrigation in southern Odisha. Several organisations, including the Rushikulya Banchao Mancha, Mahendragiri Surakshya Mancha, Berhampur Citizens’ Forum, Ganjam Zilla Vikash Mancha, Jagrat Bharat, Dakshin Orissa Sahitya Samity and several other NGOs and eminent citizens will join the march. The march would start from the banks of Vansadhara river at Kasinagar in Gajapati district on March 5. As a symbolic move the water of the Vansadhara river would be taken in a vessel by the marchers. They would mix the water of Rushikulya river with it near Tara Tarini hill shrine to symbolise linking of these two rivers. The marchers would mix the water of Daya river which comes out from the Mahanadi with it near Dhauli in Bhubaneswar. A memorandum demanding linking of these three rivers would be handed over to the Orissa Governor.

The former deputy speaker of the Assembly, Ram Chandra Panda is taking lead of this Yatra which would pass through the areas that would benefit from the river linking project. Mr. Panda addressing a press conference said, since past many years demand was on for this river linking project. The State government had also come up with a river linking project between Vansadhara and Rushikulya rivers few years back, which was shelved. According to Mr. Panda this river linking project is the only way to solve the problem of erratic water supply in Berhampur city, irrigation facility for water scarce areas of south Odisha and to reduce regular floods in the Mahanadi. As per proposal the Subalaya barrage project can be used to transfer surplus water of Mahanadi to Rushikulya. A memorandum to this effect had been submitted to the Central government by the Orissa government in the year 2000 and in 2003. Even the national water development agency had acknowledged that the project was viable, Mr. Panda said. He blamed the State government for not pursuing the project seriously.

Sources: The Hindu, The Pioneer