Gangadhar Meher Lift Irrigation system- Still Nightmare for people

“Gangadhar
Meher  Lift Canal system” –  Still  Nightmare
for  people  of Baragarh

Dear  friends

On
the eve  of  Bijepur 
Assembly Bye-Election-2017, on 23.10.17., the State  Cabinet approved   an
ambitious mega project named “Gangadhar
Meher Lift Irrigation Project” 
for  providing irrigation facilities  to 
rainfed  and drought prone araes
of Bijepur, Sohela  and Barapalli  block of Baragarh district. It  was 
highlighted  by paid  media in front  paper , as if 
this  project  will 
bring a big change  in the  life and livelihood  of the 
people  of 3 blocks  of Baragarh 
district.  Now two years have  been 
completed  since  declaration 
of this  project  by Chief Minister.
To
understand  the  implementation  of declaration of  the  Chief
Minister  about  the project, RTI Application was  filed to the 
PIO,  department of Water
Resources, Govt. of Odisha  seeking  information about details of implementation
of the project, budgetary  provision
and  progress of work etc.  RTI Application was forwarded to PIO, office
of the Executive Engineer, Gangadhar Meher Lift canal Division No.1, Bijepur.
On 17.11.19., the PIO has supplied the following information.
1.     
After  declaration 
of the Chief Minister about the project, the  Water Resource  Department framed this scheme  named 
as  “ Gangadhar Meher Lift Canal System” ( Bijepur Lift Irrigation Project)  on dated 2.11.17  to cater 
to the irrigation needs of  the
upland araes of Bijepur , sohela  and
Barapali Block  of Baragarh district. The
water will be drawn from Hirakud Dam through Baragarh Main Canal.  The same will be tapped  at RD        34.10
KM near Tengra village. The water lifted from Baragarh  Main Canal 
will be carried  a distance  of 17.64 kms 
through pipeline upto barihapali Secondary Reservoir. From Barihapali
water  will be delivered  to the farmers  in the designed  ayacut area  covering 74 no. of villages  in Bijepur Block , 25 nos. of villages  in sohela Block  and 14 nos. of villages in Barapalli  block through a mix of underground  gravity 
and pressure  pipe
distributions  network  with outlets 
at every four/one Ha. Chak.
2.     
It  is estimated 
that an area of  about  25,600 hect. Is to  be irrigated 
in the three  Blocks.
3.     
    It  was 
planned  to  implement the 
project  over a period  of five years  from the date 
of its  commencement.
4.     
It  has 
been   planned  to start 
the project  from 
R.D. 34.1 KM of Main Canal ( Turunga village).
5.     
The  estimated  cost of the 
project  is  Rs.
1340.55 crores .
The  Govt.  has  earmarked 
Rs. 200.00  crore 
in 2018-19  and Rs. 100.00  in 2019-20.
6.     
Though  two years passed,   not a single work has  yet 
started  in Baragarh  district.
This much media-hyped 
project  is full  of 
deception as nobody knows 
when  the  project 
will  start . This  is the 
brightest  example  of Nabin Patnaik Govt.  how the 
people are  deceived  in broad-day light and swayed  away 
by false  promises.
Pradip Pradhan
M-9937843482
Date- 25.11.19