JEYPORE: Residents of several villages under Pottangi gram panchayat in Koraput district are up in arms against a proposal to establish a defence-related facility in Padapadar Mouza, citing concerns over loss of agricultural land, drinking water sources and livelihoods.
Villagers of Nuapadapadar, Purunapadapadar, Bariameta, Budiaguda, Kandha Siura, Paraja Siura and Danduguda on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to Koraput collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan, urging the administration to halt the proposed project.
The opposition comes in response to a notification issued by the Pottangi tehsil office in April, which informed villagers about a proposal for allocation of land in Padapadar Mouza to the Ministry of Defence through INS Kalinga authorities for establishment of a Central government facility.
According to the memorandum, the land identified for the project includes several plots that local residents depend upon directly and indirectly for agriculture and related activities.
The villagers argued that acquisition or utilisation of the land would adversely affect farming,habitation and access to drinking water in the area.
Local villagers are primarily dependent on agriculture for livelihood and have no alternative means of sustenance. Any project on the proposed land will severely impact their lives, the memorandum stated.
The villagers further pointed out that the Naval Armament Depot (NAD) in Sunabeda, which is linked to INS Kalinga, already exists within approximately 25 km of the area.
They questioned the necessity of setting up another defence-related facility in their locality and appealed to the administration to explore alternative locations.
The memorandum said villagers had earlier brought their concerns to the notice of the Pottangi tehsildar and are now seeking intervention from the district administration.
Urging the Koraput collector to take a sympathetic view of the matter, the villagers requested that steps be taken to halt the proposed project and safeguard the interests of local farming communities.