BALANGIR: To make way for the Lower Suktel dam project, authorities of land acquisition department of district administration partially vacated the Chudapali village on Balangir-Patnagarh road here on Monday.
Sources said around 42 per cent of Chudapali’s population was displaced in the demolition drive conducted on the day. They have meanwhile received due compensation for the same and many already moved to new locations or built homes in nearby areas.
This is reportedly the third village to be rehabilitated for the project. The department has so far vacated Paradhia Pali and Khutpali villages for the purpose. Residents of these villages were given land at Larkipali area of Balangir town besides compensation. Many have built homes and a new township has come in place starting from CRPF camp area to Larkipali and Sadeipali.
Though 13 out of the 29 villages affected by the said project opposed the dam construction few years back, they all gave in after receiving compensation and rehabilitation facilities. While the project was initially scheduled to be completed by 2023, sources said soil filling work is yet to be taken up and so completion of the dam might be extended by a period of one year.
The dam project has meanwhile evoked mixed reactions from the locals. “We are certain the dam project will be completed before 2024 general elections. However, it will be of no use since the administration is yet to acquire land for canal or underground water supply system. Without these facilities, the dam will only act as a reservoir and fail to extend support to farmers who need water for irrigation purpose,” said a local of project-affected Barapudugia village Syama Naik.