Jhumpura: People of Basantpur under Jhumpura block in Keonjhar were upset over Essar Company’s bid to dam water of Baitarani to use it for its beneficiation plant.
The company has its pump house at Naibuga in Basantpur panchayat. Locals alleged that the firm has its own pump house near the river, but it still takes water from the river by temporarily damming up water.
Now, the company has tried to dig up the river bed and build a small dam across the river. This is how the firm has illegally obstructed the natural flow of water in the river for its benefit.
The downstream end of the river has been left dry while people living in the area are left in the lurch.
The villages hit by water paucity in the river are Naibuga in Basantpur panchayat, Dhanurjaypur and Patuakuda in Malda panchayat.
As the water table has gone down, many drinking water projects in the riparian areas were affected, the villagers lamented.
Farmers find it tough to get water from the river to irrigate Rabi crops.
Locals alleged that the company has repeatedly been trying to dam up the river water. Essar was also accused of damaging a part of the embankment.
Whenever officials of the Water Resources Department visit the area, the company breaks the dyke to remove the proof of its illegal activities. The firm has engaged earth movers to lay the dyke, thus muddying the water, locals said.
People in eight villages use the river water for drinking. Polluted and muddy water has caused health problems for the villagers, said locals Magha Munda, Kalakar Nayak, Balaram Munda, Singa Munda, Srujan Nayak, Champa Dhibara, Ghasi Dhibara, and Jadu Dhibara.
As for the illegal dyke put up by Essar, Subrat Das, the executive engineer of the Shalapada Water Resources Division, said that he got to know of the complaint and their assistant engineer will be asked to look into the issue. However, no officials could be contacted.
PNN