Locals Protest Near Lower Suktel Project Demanding Rehabilitation

Balangir: Hundreds of locals of Paradhiapalli village in Balangir district staged a demonstration near Lower Suktel project here, demanding immediate rehabilitation of the displaced people.

The agitators opposed construction work of the irrigation project and demanded disbursal of adequate compensation to the people displaced by the project.

Owing to the protest, construction work of the project was halted and police forces were deployed at the site to prevent any untoward incident.

Last year, locals of 15 villages had constituted a Mahila Mhasangh to put forth their demands for immediate rehabilitation of the people affected by the project.

“The project would affect about 638 hectares of land, displace residents of 16 villages and partially affect 10 villages. So, we strongly oppose it,” an agitator said.

The project was approved way back in 1996-97 at a cost of around Rs 217.13 crore and its foundation stone was laid by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in November 2001.