Ganjam farmers oppose water project

Rushikulya River

The proposed project to provide water to the Krushnaprasad block within the limits of Chilika Lake in Puri district is being opposed by farmers of Ganjam block. They have approached Chief Minister Naveen Patniak on the issue through a memorandum. They have also suggested alternatives to the proposed project. They have threatened to launch a ‘jail bharo’ agitation in April, if the State government did not show any sympathetic attitude towards the issue.

On Monday, a group of local leaders of Ganjam block spoke to media in the city. According to them, the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) Department has proposed a project worth Rs. 2,500 crore to take water from Kansarigand natural reservoir on the Rushikulya river near Potlampur to Krushnaprasad block through a pipeline. The natural reservoir is also the recharging source for three wells near Badamadhapur which provide water to Berhampur city. The Ruhsikulya river bed remains almost dry from December to June. They feel taking away water from the Kansarigand reservoir will affect the collection of water from the three wells the water levels of which have already gone down.

“There are several lift irrigation points on the periphery of this reservoir and some of them have already dried up. If water supply in the reservoir gets further reduced due to the proposed project, then more numbers of lift irrigation points may get dry,” says one of the leaders. This area happens to be a major zone for vegetable cultivation due to availability of irrigation facility.

Source: The Hindu

Source: The Sambad