August 24th 2024.
Sonepur: The fate of 19 proposed riverbed reservoir projects hangs in the balance as the state Water Resources department has yet to invite tenders, even eight months after the foundation stones were laid. These projects were set to be built on the Mahanadi riverbed at Godhaneswar in Birmaharajpur block of Subarnapur district, and at Khairamal in Kantamal block in Boudh district. The previous BJD government had envisioned these projects as a means to enhance irrigation and increase income for farmers, without displacing any water. In fact, former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had even laid the foundation stones for these projects via video-conferencing on January 20, in the presence of thousands of farmers and women. The state government had announced a budget of Rs 4,600 crore for the construction of these 19 riverbed reservoirs in 13 districts.
However, to the dismay of many, these projects have yet to make any progress due to delays by the state government. It has been eight months since the foundation stones were laid, but the state government has still not floated tenders for the projects. Sources reveal that the Water Resources Department is currently conducting soil tests and preparing designs and estimates for the projects. This has caused widespread frustration among the local residents.
It should be noted that the decision to construct these riverbed reservoirs, also known as Integrated Storage Structures, was made based on proposals from residents of various districts. The 13 districts where these projects were proposed are Subarnapur, Sambalpur, Bolangir, Bargarh, Boudh, Kalahandi, Sundargarh, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Puri, Khurda, and Keonjhar. The Water Resources department had initially announced a budget of Rs 1,950 crore for the construction of the Subarnapur and Boudh projects. This decision was made in light of the decreasing water flow in the Mahanadi river during non-monsoon seasons, as a result of the construction of multiple barrages upstream by the Chhattisgarh government. This has caused the river to run dry during the summer months.
Realizing the need for proper management of Mahanadi's water, the state government had prepared a master plan which included the construction of multiple barrages on the river in 2017. The technical advisory committee had also approved this plan after conducting a preliminary survey. However, the state government has been slow in implementing this project, causing further delays. The state budget for the fiscal year 2023-24 had included provisions for the Subarnapur and Boudh projects, and the Water Resources department had even prepared a detailed project report. Tenders were then invited for the engineering, procurement, and construction of these projects on a contract basis, after receiving administrative approvals. However, the state government suddenly cancelled all the tenders, without providing any clear explanation for its decision.
Currently, it is being claimed that a survey is underway for inviting tenders on a P-1 mode. However, several months have passed without any visible progress. This has sparked political debates in the area, with some accusing the government of announcing these projects merely to secure votes for the 2024 elections. Local residents have expressed their disappointment and have demanded that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who is also in charge of the Water Resources department, take immediate action to ensure the implementation of these projects.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
