Villagers stop Essar's dredging work

The villagers affected by Essar Steel's proposed pelletisation project near Paradip in Orissa stopped the company's dredging work in river Mahanadi on Wednesday

The frequent dredging of the river by the company for its sand leveling work has left the villagers harrowing with the river ingressing into eight to ten villages.

Sources said, Essar had pressed into service a dredging contact agency to dredge the Mahanadi river for sand leveling at its plant site in Paradip.

The villagers of Bijaychandpur, Nuagada, Handia, Udyabat, Goradi, Mundakata, Sukhakhala, Pipla and Baldia are a harried lot as the frequent dredging of the river has increased its depth and consequently, the river has been washing away the agricultural land of these villagers.

The villagers alleged that 70-80 acres of land have been washed away by the river following the commencement of the dredging work by Essar.

“A major chunk of the river embankment has been damaged due to landslide after dredging”, they stated.

Many villagers who are dependent on fishing have been unable to carry out this activity after the dredging of the river.

Says Bhagban Swain, secretary of Paradip Krushak Manch, “As a result of dredging, the depth of Mahanadi has increased and the river has been washing away the land of villagers. There is a danger of the villages getting submerged and the lives of thousands of people is at stake.”

Surjeet Das, the district rehabilitation officer, admitted that private land has been washed away by the Mahanadi river due to dredging.

Company officials confessed that frequent protests by the villagers have affected the dredging and pipe line work at its plant site. They have agreed to fulfill the demands of the affected villagers within seven days after holding consultations with the district administration officials.

On Tuesday, hundreds of villagers had staged a demonstration near the site of Essar's pelletisation plant, demanding an end to dredging activities in view of the safety of the villagers.

Moreover, the company's pipeline work has also been paralyzed for the past one month after the affected villagers of Handia had detained 12 employees of Essar complaining non-payment of compensation.