Nabarangpur: The Nabarangpur district Congress committee Wednesday gheraoed the lift irrigation department office as there is no water supply to their farmlands.
The party alleged that the farmers of the district had applied for irrigation points of deep tube well. The farmers belonging to general category had paid Rs 20,000 each while SC and ST farmers had paid Rs 10,000 each for the irrigation points in advance, however the project could not be started yet.
Following these issues, the Congress party gheroed the office. The farmers also alleged that digging of bore wells is not done according to the serial number.
In this regard, executive engineer of the department, Gangadhar Tripathy said as many as 3,670 farmers had applied for bore well by end of 2017. Among them 1945 application belongs to Raighar block.
Tenders for the digging of the bore wells were called twice, but later they were canceled. However, tender was again called for the same, where 12 contractors have got the tender.
A work order for 1200 bore wells was issued, the executive engineer added.
These bore wells would be handed over to the farmers after the successful installation of electricity and pipe line to the farmlands. Seven machines are engaged into the digging up of these wells at seven gram panchayts under Raigahr block.
However, the farmers demanded digging up of the bore well according to serial number.
During the protest, district Congress president Praddep Majhi, vice-president Dillip Behera, secretary Kuna Padhi and several congress leaders and workers were present.
PNN