Mega Piped Water Projects in Odisha under OMBADC

Mega Piped
Water Projects in Odisha under control of Contractors of outside states

·  
Rs.4500  crore 
sanctioned  to  four outside Companies for  undertaking Mega Piped  Water  Project  In Odisha

·  
This  huge money 
has been sanctioned  from
OMBADC  fund  created out 
of penalty money  deposited  by 
Mining Owners  as per  order 
of the  Supreme Court.

·  
OMBADC  was  specially created  for 
integrated  development  of tribals 
in mining-affected  districts

·  
Huge  fund of OMBADC  simply 
went  to the  big 
companies  of   southern Indian states  in the name 
of tribal development.

·  
Why  these 
Private  companies i.e., L & T
Limited, Chennai, Nagarjuna 
Construction  Company Limited,
Hyderabad, Mega Engineering & Infrastructure Limited, Hyderabad  and Voltas Limited, Mumbai  were 
selected  and entrusted  such huge 
work  in Odisha ?

·  
Why   Construction Companies/ contractors  of Odisha were ignored and bypassed?

·  
It  is  a
newly-invented trick  of Odisha  bureaucracy 
to   loot     OMBADC fund 
through  engaging  private 
companies  of other  states at the 
cost  of  state’s 
own Contractors.

·  
 In the present 
development regime  pursued by Nabin
Patnaik Govt., mega Private 
Companies  are  engaged  
and sanctioned huge fund for   development 
of   tribals  in 
tribal  region  (?).  

·  
There  is also 
doubt how  this  mega 
Piped  Water  Project 
will  solve  drinking water  problem 
of  tribals.

·  
Has  the 
Govt. consulted  tribals  before 
taking  up  such huge 
mega  project  meant for them and that  too engaging 
outside  companies.

 OMBADC
( Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas
Development Corporation ) of Odisha Govt. , an SPV ( Special Purpose  Vehicle)  is  
initially  created  by Central Govt.  under 
order  of the  hon’ble 
Supreme Court  for the  restoration of  damage 
done  to the  forests 
and environment due  to
mining  related  activities. Hon’ble Supreme Court , while
approving  the creation of  OMBADC 
on 2^nd December 2014
, had  thoughtfully specified 8
items  to be  targeted 
for  integrated  development 
of tribal welfare  and Area  Development . On 15^th January 2015, SC released Rs. 869 crores in what
is  treated  as  First Phase 
by OMBADC.

 While
hearing  writ  petition No. 114 of 2014 , the  Supreme Court 
in their judgment  dt. 2^nd
August 2017 identified  and assessed  illegal 
mining  and imposed  a 
compensatory  penalty  under MMDR Act, 1957. SC  held that 
the minerals raised by the 
offending Iron Ore mine Lease 
holders  of Odisha ,
violating  or  outside the 
limits  of  “ environmental laws “  actually 
belonged  to the state. This  unlawfully 
raised minerals  were  either 
to be  returned to the Nation  or if same has been sold , the proceeds  of the same 
to be refunded  to  the state. penalty  amount 
was limited  to Rs. 17,576.16  crore . However , SC  in their wisdom decided  not to give the penalty amount to  the State 
Govt.  who had  done nothing to these mineral bearing  areas 
mostly  of tribals  for 
decades in spite  of massive
revenue  collection  from these 
districts. As  per  SC 
judgement, penalty  collected  was entrusted to OMBADC  for broad target of  Tribal welfare  and areas development  in three 
districts.

OMBADC  is required to  prepare 
a plan  for  effective 
management  of fund  and 
projects  to be undertaken  in the beneficiary  districts. As per  information obtained  under RTI, OMBADC  has 
sanctioned  total amount  of Rs,.
4478 .62  crore  to 
Department  of  Panchayat 
Raj  and Drinking Water, Govt.
of  Odisha   for  
implementing Mega Piped 
Water  Project (PWPs) in
different  districts.  These 
projects  are  implemented 
by the  companies  of other states  not  by
Odisha  Contractors. The  details of 
the  project  is  as
follows.

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date – 16.4.21