The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : NCP opposes water for industries

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Monday, Nov 12, 2007
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NCP opposes water for industries

Special Correspondent

Cancellation of MoU demanded

Patnaik flayed for maintaining ‘double standards’
Dam cannot be increased, they say

BHUBANESWAR: Orissa unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday said that no industry should be provided water from the Hirakud reservoir that was built five decades ago primarily for irrigation purpose.

Condemning the recent police lathi-charge on agitating farmers at Hirakud at a press conference here, former Minister and head of the Steering Committee of the party Bijoy Mohapatra also demanded cancellation of the memoranda of understanding that the State Government had signed with different companies with the assurance to provide water to them from Hirakud reservoir.

Mr. Mohapatra severely criticised Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for maintaining ‘double-standards’ and befooling the farmers of several western Orissa districts saying that no water meant for farmers would be given to industries.

“Several industries are already drawing water from Hirakud and many more were in the queue,” the NCP leader said.

Supply of water to industries from Hirakud will spell doom for agriculture, he said.

The NCP leader further blamed the State Government for making a ‘false’ announcement to strengthen the Hirakud dam to cater to the need of farmers as well as industries.

“The capacity of Hirakud dam cannot increase as the dam is already facing problems with the waters of Mahanadi being intercepted at as many as five places upstream in Chhattisgarh,” Mr. Mohapatra observed.

More than 30 farmers were injured when police lathi-charged them while they were trying to enter the prohibited area of Hirakud dam on Tuesday to oppose the government’s move to supply water from the reservoir to various industries.

Meanwhile, the agitating farmers on Sunday created a barrier to prevent Vedanta Alumina, a private company, from laying pipeline up to Hirakud reservoir to source water for its proposed industry.

“If the company tries to go ahead with its work, farmers will stop it and launch a fresh round of agitation,” said Lingaraj, convener of Western Orissa Farmers’ Coordination Committee, the organisation spearheading the movement against diversion of water from Hirakud for industries.

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