Sonepur: Expansion of Ang irrigation project in Sonepur district have been stuck for years. However, even as the irrigation department has suddenly become active to hasten its work, land has come up as a hurdle to carry forward this project.
The farming community in the sadar block will immensely benefit from this project after its completion, a report said.
According to the report, agriculture in most parts under the sadar block in the district has remained out of irrigation coverage. In case of insufficient rainfall, farming is badly affected and sometimes droughts haunt the area.
In view of this situation, the state government thought of expanding the Ang irrigation project to irrigate farmlands in the area in 1981. Water resources minister Bijay Kumar Mohapatra had laid the foundation stone of the expansion project. But later its work had been stalled for paucity of funds.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik again laid the foundation stone of its expansion at Rengali panchayat, December 17, 2006. However, the project suffered setbacks again. The project could not take off due to change in its design, cost escalation and hurdles in land acquisition.
Due to delay, the cost of the project escalated from Rs 26 croe to Rs 221 crore. Farmers were worried about the fate of the project amid repeated setbacks.
Finance and excise minister Niranjan Pujari initiated efforts to break the stalemate. It works are said to be expedited.
Farmers said their dream for irrigation for four decades will be realized only after its completion. In Kharif season, the expanded project will be able to irrigate 13,509 hectares of land in the area.
The length of the distributary canal of Ang project from Pandkital to Sonepur is 18.15 km. Of it, various stretches of Pandkital minor canal, Chandrapur and Jagannathpur sub-minor canals measuring 15 km in length have been dug.
The remaining work has been stuck due to land hurdles. Meanwhile, the project has got the stage-1 clearance while land identification work has been in progress for its stage-II clearance.
To compensate for the loss of trees due to land acquisition, a decision has been taken to generate forests in 60 hectares in Bhaludunguri, Kulakhiapadar and Paikabahal. Similarly, Rugudipalli distributary canal will be of 7.2 km long while a stretch of 3 km has been excavated.
Besides, the water resources department has taken up steps for digging of Khaliapali minor, Rugudipalli minor and Kirtipur minor canals.
These canals will deliver water to 2200 hectares of farmland in Karlakhaman, Mayurudan, Rugudipalli, Kirtipur, Khaliapali and Gobindapur villages.
“Tenders will be floated soon for these works,” said Dillip Kumar Patra, executive engineer of the Tel Water Resources Division.
PNN