Displaced people of Indravati hydro-electric plant feel cheated

Nabarangpur: Though the Indravati Hydro-electric Power plant has introduced Nabarangpur district at home and abroad but today, the it has become a tragedy for people. Project displaced people have complained that the project administration is not responding and cheating them again and again since displaced.

Sadly they said, that, they have given up everything like their birthplace (homeland), the home where they took birth for the sake of the project. As a result, the displaced are now living in extreme neglect.

The project is one of the largest hydroelectric power plants in Asia.The Indravati reservoir stands on a area of 110 sq, km. Thousands of people from Goudokurumuli , Porojakurumuli,Patordora, Amtapas,Chondaupodor , Tundapodor , Gundipodor , Hartaguda, Jhalaguda, Talang villages have been displaced.

The project administration has promised to develop the environment of the Indravati project area providinghealth, education and high-quality transportation facilities to the displaced. But now, when the topic of Nabarangpur comes, the administration is turning its back, said the displaced locals.

The water level of Indravati river has been significantly reduced due to the project, for which currently farmers of the district are suffering and unable to get its water. Though the district has received nothing while Kalahandi has been given the status of rice pot(bhatohandi) due to irrigation facilities from the project.

Before the project, the river flowing in the district has brought smiles to thousands of farmers. Sources saidin the past thousands of farmers from Tentulikhunti, Nandahandi and Nabarangpur block were tilling their land for years using the river water.

According to sources, the river flows out of a hill two km from Thuamul Rampur village in Kalahandi district and flows into Nabarangpur district. The project has left 5,989 families of 105 villages as displaced.

The displaced and thousands others from Nandahandi, Tentulikhunti and Nabarangpur block are living in miserable conditions in many forest lands of Nabarangpur and Kalahandi district.Kalahandi district has been irrigated through canals while the project is earning over Rs 100 crore a month through fourturbines.

The condition of the Indravati Project colony road is deplorable as it has not been repaired for many years. Locals complainthat the project administration had not kept its promises for health care. Due to shortage of doctors and staff, the project health centre is in a state of flux.

The hospital also affixed a notice that health care won't be provided after evening.Not only that, the ambulance service has been shut for about six months. Two years back the government ordered to take over Indravati project high school but sadly, it has not yet been handed over to the Education department.As a result, the school is running with shortage of teaching and non-teachingstaff.

When contacted, Nabarangpur MP Ramesh chandra Majhi said, "Considering the demand of farmers, in 2013, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation stone for a project with an estimated cost of Rs236 crore to supply water to lower catchment areas of Indravati reservoir through canals.

The project was aimed to cater to around 26,000 ha in Tentulikhunti, Nandahandi and Nabarangpur blocks. Following a hue and cry by farmers, the government had also revised the project's cost to Rs 618 crore in 2019." But no progress has been made yet in this regard.