Orissa CM directs officials to set up mega lift irrigation points on either side of proposed power projects

Report by OrissaDiary.com correspondent; Bhubaneswar: Chief Minsiter Naven Patnaik on Wednesday directed the Water Resources Department to set up mega lift irrigation points on either side of the proposed three barrages of the Sindol hydro power projects on river Mahanadi even as the projects are mired in controversy.

The Chief Minister, while reviewing the renovation of the irrigation projects at the State Secretariat here, said that with the setting up of the mega lift irrigation projects alongside the three stages of the Sindol-1, Sindol-II and Sindol -III projects, the farmers of the three drought-prone districts of Boudh, Sambalpur and Subarnapur would get the desired irrigation facilities.

At the meeting, the Chief Minister expressed concern over the acute moisture stress with lurking drought-like situation in at least six districts, Boudh, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Ganjam and Bargarh. He directed the Energy and Water Resources Departments to renovate the lift irrigation points lying defunct and asked the electricity distribution companies to immediately give power connection to the LI points pending disposal of the outstanding dues with round-the-clock power supply to help the farmers avail irrigation facilities.

According to official sources, as many as 1,758 LI points in the State are defunct and 13,861 points are functioning providing irrigation to an estimated 3.11 lakh hectares of land. Since the defunct LI points are in the blocks with below 35 per cent of irrigation potential, the Chief Minister directed the authorities to take immediate steps to make the LI points operational.

It was decided at the meeting that the Government would provide incentives to those Pani Panchayats working for the proper and efficient management of LI points. The Chief Minister also asked the Energy and Water Resources Departments to immediately repair and renovate the defunct LI points.

The Chief Minister asked the Energy Department to take steps for one-time settlement of the outstanding electricity dues and finalise the estimates relating to providing electricity connections to the defunct LI points.

With serious moisture stress and apprehension of Kharif crop loss, the Chief Minister relaxed the norm for setting up of new LI points.