JAGATSINGHPUR: The grievance meeting by the district administration on Saturday to address concerns of farmers of Biridi tehsil over the proposed Bharatmala project seems to have gone nowhere as the latter are firm on their decision to not part with their land for the purpose.
Sources said the proposed 452-km coastal highway project under Bharatmala Pariyojana, is to extend from Gopalpur in Odisha to Digha in West Bengal. The highway aims to serve as an economic corridor, facilitating the transportation of agricultural and pisciculture produce to the Paradip and Dhamra ports. Additionally, it is expected to offer protection to seaside villages against cyclones and floods. However, it will also pass through Biridi tehsil affecting around 150 acre land owner by 1,000 farmers.
Concerned that the project could permanently affect their agriculture activities and livelihood besides obstructing floodwater release caused by nearby Hansua river, farmers of the area had met Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi last month demanding that the project be diverted or shifted away from Biridi tehsil. The grievance meeting on the day was held on the direction of the chief minister to resolve the issue.
During the meeting, farmers said they were not against the project but wanted that the highway be rerouted to government land or dead Paika river so that their private lands are not affected. However, officials present at the meeting in return continued urging the farmers to relinquish their land for the project. This irked the farmers who then declared that they would not give up even an inch of their land.
Sub-collector Pradeep Kumar Sahoo said the district administration conducted the grievance meeting to seek cooperation from farmers. "However, they are demanding that the project be diverted or shifted. There is no provision of diverting or shifting this project after issuance of section 3(1) notification under the Land Acquisition Act," he said.
Biridi tehsildar Sanjay Behera, IIC Sabyasachi Rout and officials from Bharatmala Pariyojana project were present at the meeting.