BHAWANIPATNA: Farming in parts of Kalahandi has been affected with water of Indravati’s damaged right canal not reaching the agricultural land at the tail end. Though tender for renovation of the damaged canal has been floated six times since 2014, renovation work has not been started yet.
Indravati’s 48-km right canal, which is designed to provide irrigation to 28,000 ha of land, was commissioned in 2001. But it has been heavily damaged and silted at various places due to lack of maintenance over the years. As a result, water from the canal does not reach its tail end. However, there is abundant water flowing through Indravati left canal.From 2014, tenders have been floated by the Executive Engineer of Indravati project for ‘Lining and System Rehabilitation Programme’ of the right canal at least six times but it could not be finalised due to different reasons.
On February 18, 2016, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation for the work to be taken up at an estimated cost of `332 crore. On January 15 this year, farmers resorted to blockade of NH-26 near Indravati right canal division office at Dumerbahal and on being assured by the engineers concerned and former Collector Anjan Kumar Manik to start repair and renovation work soon, the strike was called off.
However, there has been no progress since then. On May 5, tender was called for the fifth time but was cancelled only to be called again on September 6. So far, there has been no response.
Meanwhile, the project cost has escalated due to inordinate delay. Sources said water was not released in the right canal due to lack of repair work during the last year’s rabi season causing a loss of `70 crore to the farmers. This time too, the farmers apprehend that water will not be released into the canal which is heavily silted.
Contacted, Chief Construction Engineer of Indravati project Nirmal Chandra Pradhan said the sixth tender for the project is under process. “Since this is a big project, it has to go through different levels of scrutiny like technical and financial bid, administrative and cabinet committee approvals and finally a nod from the Chief Minister,” he informed. The officer expressed optimism that the tender will be finalised soon and work will commence.
The co-convenor of State Cooperative Cell of BJP, Kaliaprasad Raiguru said due to lack of sincerity on the part of the officials of the Indravati right canal division, the tenders could not be finalised yet and it is the farmers who are suffering the most. Raiguru had submitted a memorandum to Governor Ganeshi Lal on October 18 in this regard.