‘Govt’s inaction fuels anger among western Odisha people’

--Utkal Bharat demands full compensation to Lower Suktel displaced people

BHUBANESWAR: “Lack of political initiatives and Government’s inaction fuel anger among the western Odisha people as the much awaited Lower Suktel irrigation project, lifeline of Balangir’s agriculture, is yet to start its work,” said Utkal Bharat state president Kharvela Swain here on Saturday.

He said that the State Government is in the state of confusion though it has given recommendation to start the project area. From 1998 to 2012 is a long time to wait for the project, but why the Government is so greedy while compensating the poor tribals who would be displaced from the project area. Without starting the project work, the Government is giving a chance to create partition within the project area people, he alleged.

“If the State Government fails to solve the matters in an amicable manner with pro-people attitude, the people would think that they are neglected by the Government and especially the separate Koshal State agitation would get life with people’s anger,” Swain said.

Swain said the Government should send a responsible person and solve the problems of the displaced people immediately. Mostly, the people of other states do not agree to give land for any dam or irrigation project spontaneously, but the people of Balangir had given their active consent to give land after getting adequate compensation which is a good sign. Then why the Government do not listen them, he questioned.

 

Swain demanded the Government to increase the compensation amount from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 4 lakh per acre as a very meager amount is given as compensation to the displaced persons. “If the Government is giving Rs 25 lakh as compensation to the displaced persons at Paradip, why they don’t like to give Rs 4 lakh per acre at Balangir,” he said.

Swain in his five-point charter of demands mentioned that the Government should take over the left-out lands in the project area by providing adequate compensation, demarcate alternative lands immediately for displaced landless tribals and provide compensation to the displaced people before starting the project by which the trust deficit will decrease.