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Congress against POSCO using Taladanda waters

CUTTACK: Inspired by the support it received from farmers during the demonstration at Hirakud earlier this month, the Opposition Congress on Friday took out a massive farmers’ rally here and threatened to launch a State-wide campaign against the government’s decision to allow the proposed POSCO steel plant to use water from Taladanda canal. The Congress observed ‘Chasi Sankalpa Diwas’ on the day coinciding with the foundation day of the party.

Some 10,000 farmers from Cuttack, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur and Kendrapara district gathered here at Mahanadi barrage at Jobra from where the 85-km canal originates. Addressing the farmers, State Congress leaders, including PCC chief Jayadev Jena and Leader of Opposition J.B. Patnaik, came down heavily on the anti-people water policy of the government. The government has reportedly took a decision recently to allow POSCO and 18 other industries to draw water from the 130-year-old canal, which was considered to be the lifeline of farmers in the undivided districts of Cuttack and Puri. The government is all set to take loan of Rs. 100 crores from the Asian Development Bank to repair the canal.

The Congress leaders, however, claimed that if the South Korean steel major was allowed to use water from the canal for its billion-dollar project, the coastal districts would then suffer acute water crisis for agriculture as the canal would run dry.

Disagreeing with the fact that POSCO would be using only 123.57 cusecs of water as mentioned in the MoU, senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik said while the requirement of the Rourkela Steel Plant was 63.57 cusec water for producing 2.8 million tonne steel, the 12 million tonne plant would consume some 300 cusecs.

“All major irrigation projects in the State like Hirakud, Rengali, Upper Kolab and Jobra barrage were set up by the Congress Government. But the present government, instead of looking at the farmers’ interests, is engaged in diverting water meant for agriculture to industrial units,” alleged Mr. J.B. Patnaik.

“When there is already a shortfall that is affecting farm lands located in the far end of the canal, how can the government allow POSCO draw water from the canal?” Mr. Patnaik asked. He said if industries were allowed to take away water meant for agriculture, it would violate Article 21 of the Constitution.

The Congress leaders later submitted a memorandum to the district Collector, which was addressed to the Governor urging the latter to prevail upon the government to rethink on this issue.

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