Pattamundai: Funds over Rs 10 crore have gone down the drain, as the renovation works of Gobari river in Kendrapara district have been abandoned halfway, sources said Sunday. The Gobari river renovation work was taken up as part of the Centre-sponsored river-linking project and adopted by the Odisha government. It planned to renovate the river and link it with the Brahmani river.
If the project had been completed, the water flow in the river systems of Odisha would have increased. The construction of the Bhateni sluice gate in Benakanda and a discharge channel from Boitalu creek has also been stopped. It led to the trading of barbs between political parties. Had the linking of the two rivers been completed it would have helped over three lakh farmers in Pattamundai, Mahakalapara, and Kendrapara blocks, sources said.
Reports said that climate change has affected the rivers in Odisha also. They are in a spate during the monsoons, but for the remainder of the year, they go dry. Keeping these things in mind, the Odisha government implemented the river linking project to help increase of water flow during the dry season.
As part of the plan, it decided to excavate the Gobari river flowing through Pattamundai town in the district. Locals have been demanding for a long to link the Gobari river with the Brahmani as it will bring a change in the livelihood and social conditions of the people.
Keeping this in mind, the then Rajnagar MLA Alekh Jena had laid the foundation stone for the renovation of Gobari river at a planned outlay of Rs 3 crore in 2010. However, the contractor who got the tender left work midway. Due to demands by the people, the Odisha Construction Corporation Ltd (OCC) launched the Gobari dredging work at a cost of Rs 7 crore but that also stopped midway. All the political parties including the government and the Opposition are silent on the issue while the consultancy agency is only making money from the project, sources alleged.
In view of the 2024 elections, the BJP has adopted a new strategy to gain the support of the people. It has launched an agitation demanding the discharge of rainwater from thousands of hectares of farmlands in this and Mahakalapara blocks. They have also demanded the construction of a channel from Boitalu creek and the reconstruction of Bhateni Benakanda sluice gate so that the farmlands in these two blocks get adequate water. The Bhateni sluice gate was constructed at an expense of Rs 6 crore.
However, just before its inauguration, the sluice gate collapsed. However, none of the political parties are worried about this issue. Such is their callousness that they have not even demanded an investigation. Educationist Prafulla Dash, and senior citizens Khirod Mallick, Ashok Bal, and Debashis Panda have demanded immediate implementation of both projects.