Jajpur: Nearly two decades are set to pass since three major integrated irrigation projects were taken up on Baitarani and Subarnarekha rivers, but these projects are yet to be completed. Every year floods from Baitarani river cause extensive damage in various parts of Keonjhar and Jajpur districts. Two integrated irrigation projects in the upstream areas like Anandapur and Kanpur which aimed to control floods are still under construction even after many years.
Hence, the dream of Baitarani flood control has remained unfulfilled, locals alleged. The progress in the Subarnarekha irrigation project is discouraging over which the additional secretary of the Water Resources department has expressed his displeasure.
Meanwhile, special secretary of the department has directed the officials of the Water Resources department at Salapada, Basudevpur and Laxmiposi to expedite construction of the irrigation project and complete it in time. It was in 2005-06 when construction work of the Anandapur barrage across Baitarani river was taken up. The deadline was five years.
Both the state and Central governments had sanctioned Rs 2,864.36 crore for the project. However, only Rs 1,715.93 crore has been utilised for the project. Headwork of the project and 73 percent of the main canal work was completed. However, the work on distribution channels was confined to only 5 percent. The project aims at irrigating 56,720 hectares. Construction of 9-km stream of the right canal and 28.50-km of the left canal has been completed.
Sources in the department said that problems in land acquisition have become major hurdles in this project. However, the department said that the project will be completed by January 2024. As the project has been getting delayed, people in the downstream areas of Baitarani have to bear the brunt of floods every year, it was alleged.
As for Kanpur irrigation project, its work was taken up in 2003-04. Till date, only 81 percent of the work has been completed. Only Rs 1,873.67 crore out of the allocated fund of Rs 2,301.28 crore has been spent. This project is 3.460 km long and 39.50 metre high. The main canal length is 78.21 km while it has seven distributary canals. The project was to be completed in five years, but its work has been lingering for years. The project aims at irrigating 47,709 hectares.
About 310.11 hectares of forest land is awaiting environmental clearance. The project requires 7,600.60 hectares of land while 578.52 hectares have been acquired for the project. A total of 4,434 people have been identified for displacement while 3,933 of them have been relocated. In case of Subarnarekha irrigation project which was taken up in 1996-97, 92 percent of work is over. This project was to be completed in five years, but works are going on for over two decades. For this project, Rs 4,882.07 crore has already been utilised.