Sambalpur: Locals who are to be displaced have resorted to a unique protest Thursday afternoon named Jal Satyagrah demanding details of rehabilitation plans prepared for them by the state government.
Hundreds of local residents will soon be displaced by the district administration to facilitate the ambitious Samaleswari Temple Area Management and Local Economy Initiatives (SAMALEI) project which is underway in close vicinity of the temple in Sambalpur.
According to a source, the agitation was participated by both males and females from the city, which was staged at Balibandha Ghat of the Mahanadi river flowing through this western Odisha district.
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People who will be affected are apprehensive about their future, and government officials have been silent in response to their queries regarding rehabilitation. They claimed they are allegedly being threatened by district administration officials that they will be evicted from their respective homes. The local administration is yet to announce any rehabilitation plan for the soon-to-be displaced residents.
“We want to know if they will force us to vacate our homes which come under the project. If that is so, where do they plan to rehabilitate us and what amount will they give us as compensation,” many residents questioned.
Some woman protesters at the Balibandha Ghat said, “Mahanadi river and Goddess Samaleswari are identities of western Odisha. We will continue our protests against the government for our rights till our last breath.”
Notably, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had earlier announced the redevelopment SAMALEI project worth Rs 200 crore for the famous shrine of Goddess Samaleswari in Sambalpur in February, 2021.
PNN