PARLAKHEMUNDI: A three-member team of the Vamsadhara River Water Disputes Tribunal, led by Dr Justice Mukunda Sharma, visited Sara and Badigaon villages under Kasinagar block here on Tuesday and interacted with villagers. The villages are likely to be affected by side wier canal at Katrragada and Neredi barrage being constructed by Andhra Pradesh on its side of the river.
Other members of the tribunal are Justice DN Chaturvedi and Justice Pratibharani. Locals, members of NGOs and Bar Association submitted a memorandum to the team members, raising an objection to the ongoing projects being implemented by the neighbouring State.
Vamsadhara is an inter-state river that originates from Thuamul Rampur of Kalahandi district, flows through about 265 km - 154 km through Odisha, 82 km through Andhra Pradesh and 29 km through the AP-Odisha border.
Andhra and Odisha had signed an agreement to share the reassessed yield of Vamsadhara at Gotta, which is about 105 tmcft. Each agreed to utilise about 52.5 tmcft. For utilisation of its share, the Andhra Pradesh Government had started constructing a barrage protesting which, the Odisha Government moved the Supreme Court in 1962, alleging that the proposed barrage would lead to inundation of low-lying villages of Gajapati and Rayagada districts.
Locals alleged that due to the side wier and Neredi barrage projects that require 106 acres of land in Odisha territory, people of 26 villages in both Gajapati and Rayagada districts will be affected. The projects would also lead to siltation and change of course of the river. They requested the tribunal members to reconsider its decision taken on December 2013 to allow Andhra Pradesh to go ahead with both the projects.
Gajapati Collector Anupam Saha and irrigation officials accompanied the tribunal members. On Monday, an eight-member committee of the tribunal had visited areas along the Andhra-Odisha border including Gotta Barrage, Vamsadhara reservoir and Neredi Barrage.
Water dispute