Oris-saga

Statesman News Service , 3 December

Dam by AP to submerge 5,000 acres

BHUBANESWAR, Dec. 2: The high dam which is under construction by the Andhra Pradesh government on the Janjabati river would submerge at least 5,000 acres of land of 12 villages in Bandhugaon block on completion. Ironically, the Orissa government is silent on such a grave issue, despite innumerable intimations, alleged the Chasi Mulia Adibasi Sangha, a forum of tribal and other landless peasants, working in Koraput and Rayagada districts. All the construction work is going on in the name of the so-called green revolution, but it will have serious consequences on the existence and livelihood of thousands of tribals, the Sangha added.

Small check dams on the Janjabati, Champabati and other tributaries will serve the purpose, it was further clarified.

It also demanded the recovery of land belonging to the tribals, distribution of cultivable forest land and sloping portions of the lower part of mountains, proper irrigation facilities etc.

In a press conference, the Sangha brought forth the nexus among the landlords, the local police and the revenue officials to highlight their plights during their decade-long struggle for livelihood. One such burning example is the arrest of Nachika Linga, a Naib sarpanch of Podarpadar gram panchayat of Naranpatana and three others. A votary of land rights movement of the tribals, Linga after bringing a no-confidence motion against the sarpanch, who also happens to be a landlord, he along with three other members of the Sangha, Wadeka Syam, Huluka Tilusu and Wadeka Seneya were implicated in a conspiracy case under sections 121 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), besides Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1932.

After languishing in jail for over one and a half years and tortured, the four were acquitted on 14 November. They forced the illiterate tribals for ‘distress sale’ of paddy and other agri-products.

Describing landlessness as their main problem, the organisation alleged that the well-off landlords forcibly occupy their rightful lands and even community lands like burial grounds.

There is a gross violation of the prohibitory regulation namely 2/56, which aims to prevent alienation of land of tribals by non-tribals, they charged and added that the commercial forest and lemon-grass culture will have serious environmental hazards.

Illicit liquor is the prime weapon in the hands of the people, who try to make us intoxicated in order to snatch the land. Bauxite extraction from Malis would also cause harm to the environment and the eco-system.


Farmers’ rally for water


SAMBALPUR, Dec. 2: Playing the pro-farmer card to the hilt, the Congress leaders vowed to review all MoUs signed by the Naveen Patnaik government which go against the interest of agriculture. Hirakud was constructed for flood control, irrigation and power generation. Farmers will have the first right over its waters and not industries. Addressing an impressive gathering of farmers here today, the Union minister and AICC in charge of Orissa, Mr Ajay Maken, Mr Chenna Reddy, Central minister, Mr CS Sahu, the former CM, Mr JB Patnaik, the OPPC chief, Mr Jayadev Jena and others accused Mr Naveen Patnaik of safeguarding interest of MNCs at the expense of farmers.

The much hyped farmers' rally was aimed at encashing upon an agitation by the local peasants against the use of Hirakud waters by industrial houses. The lathicharge by police on farmers on 6 November provided the chance to the Opposition. The Congress mobilised people from several districts of western Orissa for today's rally. It was meant to be a show of strength, where people were to be told that it was only for farmers’ cause that the Opposition had stalled the house demanding a debate and a vote.

Hirakud dam was the first mega project of independent India and the brain child of Jawaharlal Nehru, who wanted the state to be agriculturally rich. Hence, the farmers of the state have the first right over water of the dam. But Mr Naveen Patnaik, who hardly knows anything about Orissa, is making pacts with industrialists. Congress will remain with the farmers and fight for their cause. “I have come from Delhi with this message from Mrs Sonia Gandhi and the Congress to the people and farmers of Orissa,” Mr Maken said.

The former chief minister of Orissa, Mr JB Patnaik, warned industrialists not to sign illegal MoUs. ‘If Congress will come to power, it will review all the MoUs and cancel those that go against the interest of the state and its people. Our government will create extra irrigation facilities for 30 lakh acres of land in Orissa. At the same time arrangements will be made in such a manner that flood and drought would be just matters of the past,” Mr Patnaik said. Earlier during the day, Mr Ajay Maken came down heavily on Mr Naveen Patnaik and the BJD-BJP coalition in the state. “Inefficiency apart, the debt restructuring and other electricity dues related issues of IMFA is another classic example of Naveen Patnaik’s so called clean image,” Mr Maken alleged. He noted that inflow of water to Hirakud has reduced at an alarming rate. While the inflow was 39.3 million acre feet in 1957, it has reached 24 million acre feet now.

The storage capacity of Hirakud is decreasing every year due to siltation. When people are dying for lack of food and children are suffering from malnutrition, the Orissa government is unable to distribute 13. 61 lakh ton of rice given by the Central government, he said. The party endorsed its commitment to the demands of the people of western and southern Orissa for permanent Benches of high court.


Protest by PPSS

JAGATSINGHPUR, Dec. 2: The Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti leader, Mr Abhaya Sahoo, today issued warnings of a retaliatory armed struggle in the proposed Posco area to defend the land rights of the inhabitants.

Talking to reporters of the electronic media, Mr Sahoo said that over two years, villagers were protesting against the project in a peaceful and democratic manner, but over the past few days armed anti-socials had unleashed violent attacks on PPSS activists. Mr Sahoo justified his call for an armed struggle.