Panidangar project has been stalled for 50 years.

The residents of Padmapur have been facing a major issue when it comes to the Vamshadhara River. Despite being a source of water for the Rayagada district, it has failed to bring any benefits to the people. This has been the case for the past five decades, with the state government making plans but failing to follow through. It is believed that in 1960, an agreement was signed between the state government and Andhra Pradesh to construct a barrage on the river at Panidangar in Gunupur sub-division. However, this plan has been stuck in the same place for the last 50 years, without any progress being made.

In 2005, another plan was proposed to link the Vamshadhara River with the Rushikulya River, but this too failed to take off. This has raised concerns about the inefficiency of the previous state governments. Former chief minister Giridhar Gamang had promised that the Panidangar project would benefit thousands of farmers and also help in flood control. However, even after 25 years of BJD rule in the state, the project remained stagnant.

Reports state that the Vamshadhara River flows through both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The Andhra government had initially planned to construct a barrage at Gota near Hiramandal in 1962. However, this was met with opposition from the Biju Patnaik-led government in Odisha, resulting in a disagreement between the two states. The matter was then brought to the attention of the Union government, and a decision was made to divide the river water equally between the two states. This allowed Odisha to construct a barrage at Panidangar, while Andhra was given the go-ahead to construct one at Gota near Hiramandal.

Unfortunately, while Andhra went ahead and constructed their barrage, Odisha did not take any action. This issue was recently brought up in the state Assembly by Gunupur MLA Satyajit Gamang, who questioned the revival of the Panidangar project. In response, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stated that the state government has plans to construct the project near Gudari on the upstream of the river. The project has also been included in the Lower Vamshadhara Irrigation Project, and the Detailed Project Report has been submitted for approval to the Central Water Commission.

The people of Gunupur, Gudari, and Kashinagar have been waiting for the implementation of the Panidangar project for many years. They believe that once this project is completed, it will bring immense benefits to the residents and prevent wastage of the river water. Farmer Tripati Prasad Nishank expressed his support for the project, stating that it will benefit thousands of farmers in Rayagada and Gajapati districts. He also commended the Gunupur MLA for bringing up this 50-year-old issue in the state Assembly. Tripati Gamang, a leader of CPI-ML, also emphasized the importance of implementing the project to help the people living along the Vamshadhara River. It is hoped that the state government will take prompt action to ensure the early implementation of the Panidangar project and the linking of the Vamshadhara River with the Rushikulya River.

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