KENDRAPARA: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday laid the foundation stone for a mega piped water supply project in Sarumuhi village under Mahakalapada block.Speaking at the programme, the Chief Minister said the State Government has sanctioned `241 crore to strengthen drinking water supply in the village. “Drinking water crisis remains a major issue in the seaside villages and this project would solve the water problem in 148 villages of 26 gram panchayats within Mahakalapada block and 52 villages of 16 gram panchayats within Marsaghai block with a population of 2.36 lakh,” he said.
The proposed drinking water project has the capacity to treat 25 million litres of water from Luna and Chitrotola rivers per day. As many as 28 overhead water tanks will be built under the project.The project would be completed within two years and involve laying of around 150 km water pipeline, construction of six underground reservoirs and two water treatment plants at Jadupur and Manikunda, Naveen said.
The State Government will build a riverine port at Akhadasali at Mahanadi river within Mahakalapada block. The port will be built on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. Local youths will get jobs in the port and the villages adjoining the port would be developed.
Mahakalapada MLA Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said ingress of saline water in many coastal pockets has been on the rise as a result of which large tracts of agricultural land have been rendered infertile.
“Many villages were virtually floating in an ocean of sweet water three decades back. But due to excess drawing of ground water, the salinity level in the water has been increasing every year. We are happy after the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone”, he said.