BARIPADA: Farmers of the Gopabandhunagar block of the district are a disgruntled lot due to the reported delay in the commencement of the barrage work on Suno river even after nine years. Owing to the drought-like situation in the area every year, farmers of the block had demanded the state government to facilitate the supply of water from Suno river for agriculture activities.
In 2014, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation stone of the project at a cost of Rs 216.73 crore in Jaida village under Jaipur panchayat.
The barrage was meant to facilitate irrigation on over 10,000 hectares of land during the kharif season. Farmers of over 30 panchayats under Gopabandhunagar and Badasahi in Mayurbhanj district, Nilagiri and Remuna blocks of Balasore district would have benefitted from the project.
5T secretary VK Pandian during his recent visit to Mayurbhanj district on August 12 further announced that the state government has sanctioned an additional Rs 738 crore for the barrage and other development works.
Farmers of the area alleged that the state government has already sanctioned funds for the barrage work twice but there are no signs of the commencement of the work by the Water Resources Department even after nine years.
Executive officer of the Water Resources department, Mayurbhanj, Prasad Ranjan Panda said the matter is sub judice in Orissa High Court and due to irregularities in the floating of tender on three occasions, the barrage work project has been delayed.