Bhubaneswar: Continuing her fight against encroachment of the distribution canal of Deras minor irrigation project on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, MP Aparajita Sarangi sent a reminder to Khurda collector on Tuesday.
Aparajita, in her letter, stated that the project was supplying irrigation water to 300 acre of land in Giringaput and Bhagabatipur mouzas of Mendhasal and Kantabad panchayats respectively.
“On September 7, I had personally gone to the spot with a large number of affected farmers and residents of the area. We were astonished to see that almost 150 acre of land have been brought under barbed wire fencing
by a woman. On the insistence of the farmers, we dug up the canal on the basis of the maps of the Irrigation department officials who were present and saw the extent of encroachment,” she said.
She further said a meeting was held on the spot and it was decided that Irrigation officials will clear the blockade of the canal by September 11. Though five days have passed, no step has been taken in this regard so far.
She sought clearance of the irrigation canal based on the map of Deras MIP, removal of the main gate which bars the entry to the farmers and rightful owners of the land and demarcation of 150 acre of land. “I am also reminding the Chief Engineer, Irrigation for carrying out the clearance exercise of the irrigation channel,” she added.
The MP further said she had drawn the attention of the chief minister to the matter on September 8, but there was no response. If the collector fails to take any action, the farmers and local residents will have to fight for themselves, she added.
