October 8th 2024.
In the district of Keonjhar, the villagers of Telkoi block gathered in large numbers to stage a protest against the proposed Samakoi-Chakdar Irrigation Project. Led by the president Kailas Chandra Pradhan and co-ordinator Laxmidhar Pradhan of the Samakoi-Chakdar Project Coordination Committee, the protest began with a rally through the district headquarters town, located about 60km away. The residents marched with placards and raised their voices against the government, demanding that the project be stopped.
As the protest gained momentum, leaders from various political parties, including Congress and BJD, joined in to show their support. They strongly urged the government to reconsider the project, stating that it would not benefit the people of Keonjhar district. "We cannot sacrifice our homeland for an irrigation project that will only benefit the neighbouring Angul district," they declared. The project has been a contentious issue for the past 20 years, with the locals protesting against it. However, the recent announcement of financial support for the project in the state budget of 2024 by the new government has sparked dissatisfaction among the residents. In the past, they have resorted to Telkoi bandhs and road blockades on National Highway-49 to express their opposition.
The leaders of the protest also threatened to take their agitation to the state capital, Bhubaneswar, and even lay siege on the Governor's office if their demands were not met. They accused the government of moving forward with the project without consulting the local Gram Sabha or Palli Sabha. They also alleged that the construction of the dam was based on false information, claiming that it would be 402-feet tall and would store water up to a depth of 390 feet in the reservoir. They reminded the government that they are the descendants of Dharani Bhuyan, a great revolutionary who fought against the royal system for democracy, and they will not allow their land to be taken away. They even went as far as to threaten mass self-immolation if necessary.
The police have taken action against 60 individuals involved in the protest, but the leaders remain undeterred in their mission. They challenged Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to continue with the project, which they believe is being undertaken to appease the residents of Angul district. They also pointed out that previous governments of Congress and BJD had stopped the project in the interest of the people, and questioned why the current government had approved it. The protest was also attended by prominent leaders such as former PCC presidents Niranjan Patnaik and Jaydev Jena, BJD Zilla Parishad member Ashish Chakraborty, PCC general secretary Aloy Mishra, and many others.
The proposed Samakoi-Chakdar irrigation project aims to provide irrigation to 24,194 hectares of land in both Keonjhar and Angul districts. However, the locals fear that their lands will be submerged, as the reservoir of the dam will be located in Telkoi block. On the other hand, the people of Pallahara block in Angul district are expected to benefit more from the project, causing discontent among the residents of Telkoi block. The project has been in the making for the past 20 years but was halted due to protests. Keonjhar Sub-Collector Umashankar Dalei stated that they have requested the Water Resources department to prepare a report on the project's social and environmental impacts. He also mentioned that the villagers have made it clear that they do not want any more projects in their area, and the government has been informed of their demands. They are now waiting for a report on the project.
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