KENDRAPARA: Tension ran high as hundreds of people ransacked temporary camps and vehicles at a construction site in protest against a mega drinking water project at Bharigada village in Kendrapara district on Thursday.
Sources said residents of riverside villagers of Rajkanika block marched towards the project site near the river Kharosotra by violating prohibitory orders and ransacked the construction site.
The agitators also damaged vehicles and camp offices of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) project under construction at a cost of Rs 754 crore. They also attacked police, government officials, and RWSS staff.
Inspector-In-Charge of Rajkanika police station Umakanta Nayak said hundreds of villagers including women gathered at the project site armed with bamboo sticks and wooden planks and shouted slogans against the government and the project.
"They suddenly went berserk and damaged the camp office, vehicles, and other infrastructures at the project site. They also attacked security personnel. Several vehicles including trucks have been damaged. The damage assessment is underway," he said.
"We are determined to intensify our protest if the state government does not scrap the project,” said Bidhan Das, the secretary of Kharosotra Banchay Sangram Samiti.
People in three panchayats of two blocks have been opposing the project as the river would dry up after its implementation. They fear inadequate water flow in Kharasrota will gradually destroy farming in 220 riverside villages having a population of around four lakh in Aul and Rajkanika blocks.
Prohibitory orders were clamped in the panchayats to prevent protestors from disrupting the construction work of the mega piped water supply project which would cater to a large population of neighbouring Bhadrak district.
On Tuesday, police had arrested around 72 protestors including two former MLAs of Aul Debendra Sharma and Dolagobinda Nayak for blocking the road near the project site at Barunadiha village and violating the prohibitory order.
With so solution in sight, people’s opposition to the drinking water project to divert river water from Kendrapara district to neighbouring Bhadrak district is leaving the government squirm with unease.
Twelve platoons of police forces have been deployed at the spot to control the law and order situation, the police official said.