42-km canal at Indravati, Rs 200 cr to be spent

The Pioneer, May 5, 2010
Pioneer News Service, Bhubaneswar

In a bid to bring another 12, 000 hectare of cultivable land in the down stream of Indravati project under irrigation, the State Government on Tuesday decided to dig a 42-km long canal from Indravati to Majhiguda at a cost of Rs 200 crore. The canal work would be completed by the end of May 2012, officials maintained.

A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat. It was decided to construct two check-dams at Bagilipada and Badalipadaraguda in order to reserve water throughout the year. Water Resources department has estimated to spend Rs 18 crore on these two check-dams.

“The reservoir remains dries up during summer. Construction of two check-dams is essential. On the basis of survey and investigation done on the project site, we have decided to construct two check-dams,” said water resources secretary Suresh Mohapatra.

Mohapatra further said that after completion of check-dams, an area of 28 sq km of the Indravati project will receive water for irrigation purpose even during summer. “A detailed project report (DPR) would be prepared soon and the construction is likely to be completed within one year,” Mohapatra added.

He said there has been a demand of the people to provide water to their cultivable lands. “CM has directed us to construct a canal within a span of two-years so that 12,000 hectare of land could be irrigated. A DPR in this connection will also be prepared soon and digging work will being after the rainy season,” Mohapatra maintained.

Nabarangapur MLA Monohar Randhari said, “We had a demand to irrigate 15,000 hectare of land from Indravati irrigation project covering 70 villages of three blocks-Nabarangpur, Nandahandi and Tentulikhunti. Now, it seems to be solved.”