Koraput: About 36 years have passed since Nalco was set up in Koraput. However, some projects linked to its expansion have not been able to make headway for various factors.
One of its projects is water pipeline which has been facing opposition from locals.
The administration and the company are allegedly failing to sort out the issue so as to carry forward the project, a report said.
The report further said that the expansion work had been hit by intermittent protests by the land losers.
People who have lost their land to the Upper Kolab hydropower project have strongly opposed its water pipeline project.
Notably, Nalco has signed an agreement with the water resources department to draw the water from the Kolab reservoir for its use.
Earlier, Nalco had set up a pump house at Sunabeda and used to take water from Kolab reservoir through pipes. But gradually the water level in that part of the reservoir plummeted. As a result, Nalco faced water shortage.
In order to remove water crunch, Nalco wanted to change its place of water intake at the reservoir.
The central PSU signed another agreement with the state government to draw water of the Kolab reservoir near Puruna Kotiagunda, a low-lying area.
The water resources department had permitted Nalco to lay road and a pipeline in the low-lying area.
A construction agency of Andhra Pradesh was awarded the construction of the pipeline.
As soon as the work started Friday, locals opposed it and warned the staff of the construction agency of dire consequences if they continued with the work.
The pipeline will be laid from Puruna Kotiaguda to Damanjodi. A portion of the pipeline from Chougan to Damanjodi is nearing completion.
But the work from Zero Point to Ghatguda has been stuck in a stalemate as people of Puruna Dumuriput opposed it.
Locals had been showed documents about the land acquisition for the Upper Kolab, tehsldar’s permission and copies of the agreement papers with the water resources department, but the latter refused to budge from their stand.
As a result, the work has failed to make any headway while cost of the project escalates for the agency.
Saturday, some people had detained the staff and their vehicle at the project site. The company has filed a complaint in this regard at the Sunabeda police station.
PNN