IOCL Refinery Affected Villagers Block Road Over Waterlogging

Paradip: Protesting against waterlogging problems in the villages, more than 500 IOCL refinery affected villagers in Paradip blocked the main road to IOCL near Rangiagada bridge on Wednesday. Vehicular movement along the IOCL main road came to a standstill after locals blocked the road.

As many as three drains from the IOCL have been connected with Niharuni river. As a result, the river is clogged with sand, soil, polythene and other wastage from IOCL.

The authorities have not yet taken any action to clean the river. Now, the rain water is not flowing into the river but entering the villages.

The IOCL had earlier promised the villagers of drinking water supply through pipes but they are supplying drinking water in tractors. The villagers of Chandinipada, Rangiagada, Niharuni, Katakula, Chuna, Bagadia, Jhimani, Kothi and Siju have been demanding drinking water through pipes since long.

“We have been demanding the construction of a drainage system to discharge excess rainwater from our villages. We will continue our stir till the IOCL fulfills our demands,” said the protestors.

Getting information Jagatsinghpur MP and police reached the spot and tried to pacify the agitators.