Nabarangpur: Even as many pockets in undivided Koraput district are deprived of irrigation coverage, former MP Balabhadra Majhi met Chairperson of the Central Water Commission RK Jain and urged him to finish five irrigation projects.
Majhi and Jain discussed about the status of the Tel multi-purpose project, Indravati project, Middle Kolab project, Upara Bansadhara project and Tala Bansadhara project.
The former MP observed that if the state government did not pursue a positive attitude, the above-said projects in the undivided Koraput district will be caught in a prolonged stalemate.
The discussion between the two revealed that there was no progress of these projects. Detailed reports about these projects had been submitted to the CWC. The approval of the neighbouring states has been obtained for the projects.
Majhi said all other states except for Chhattisgarh have completed approval process for the projects.
He alleged that due to the negative attitude of the state government and the controversy raised by Chhattisgarh, there has been no headway for Tel multi-purpose project, Indravati project and Middle Kolab project.
After moving the Mahanadi Tribunal, the situation for the three projects has become critical, even though there was no inconvenience for the project to go ahead in technical point of view.
Some projects in Chhattisgarh were also affected after the state moved the tribunal, he noted. As Chhattisgarh projects were affected, the neighbouring state is not cooperating in this matter, Majhi said.
In case of Upara Bansadhara and Tala Bansadhara, the tribunal had ordered a joint survey by Odisha and Andhra governments.
The CWC had earlier fixed the date for launching of the joint survey, but the state government did not send its engineers. As a result, the fate of the two projects hangs in balance, he noted.
He added that the state government should come forward with a positive attitude to carry forward the work of these projects in undivided Koraput district. Or else, they will be caught in a prolonged stalemate, he added.
PNN