Berhampur: Even as Odisha government’s proposed Pipalapanka reservoir in Rushikulya of Ganjam district is yet to take off, environmentalist Sudhir Raut has started a drive to plant 5,000 saplings on the river side.
The plantation on the embankment of Rushikulya, which is the lifeline of Ganjam, will start at Puruna Bandha where the river meets the Bay of Bengal and end at Pipalapanka project site in a stretch of more than 100 km. Sudhir has taken up the drive to strengthen the embankment.
Sudhir, who is also called the ‘Greenman of Odisha’, said Rushikulya is drying up due to lack of proper water management. Once a mighty river, Rushikulya has now turned into trickles.
“We are planning to plant 5,000 saplings with indigenous plants like banian, peepal and neem tree this year on Rushikulya embankment by consulting and educating the people of the adjoining villages. We will continue the plantation project in future also. Such indigenous plants have a grip over the soil and will benefit the locals at large,” said Sudhir.
The reservoir is proposed at the confluence of Rushikulya and Odangi rivers near Pipalapnaka under Sorada block of the district. If the project materialises, Rushikulya river will dry up. Besides, 23 villages and thousands of acres of land will be submerged, said Sudhir who is also the Chairman of the Action Committee of ‘Rushikulya Bachao Andolan’.
Renowned Environmentalist and Green Nobel Laureate Prafulla Samantray, who has been opposing the proposed reservoir, said no dam should be allowed in any river because the natural flow of river water gets affected. “Dams on rivers only dry up water,” he said.
The Pipalapanka reservoir was planned in 1996 when Tata Steel proposed to set up its mega steel plant in Chatrapur area of Ganjam. However, the reservoir plan was kept in abeyance due to stiff protest from locals. In June last year, the state government had conducted a survey and identified land for the project. As per preliminary estimate, Rs 1,000 crore will be spent for the project.
