Jamshedpur, Jan. 10: The recently introduced boating project at the Chandil Dam, in the adjoining Seraikela-Kharswan district, received a severe jolt as those displaced by the Subarnarekha Multipurpose Project (SMP) demanding the government withdraw the project.
The demonstrators under the banner of Vishtapit Mukti Vahini held a meeting at Chandil Dam today and condemned the government for approving the project without heeding their demands.
“We will not allow any tourist to use the boating facility until the government heeds to our demands,” said Ghanshyam, a senior functionary of Vishtapit Mukti Vahini.
The boating project was introduced at the dam to woo tourists not only from the state but from other parts of the country too. The chief minister Babulal Marandi recently inaugurated the project during his visit to Seraikela-Kharswan. The displaced persons at today’s meeting decided to garner more support to obstruct the state government’s ambitious project.
The displaced people alleged that ever since the project took off, the state government had failed to either compensate or rehabilitate them, who had been running from pillar to post for justice.
Though the government had set up several rehabilitation centres for the displaced persons, all of them were in a bad shape.
Vishtapit Mukti Vahini, a local NGO, which has been fighting for the cause of the displaced persons, has called another meeting tomorrow to chalk out the future course of action against the government.
“We are going to launch a massive agitation against the boating project. The nitty-gritty of the agitation will be chalked out during the meting tomorrow,” said a member of Vishtapit Mukti Vahini. In another development, the SMP authorities today floated tenders for the remaining work of the Chandil Dam construction.
According to SMP chief engineer, Chandil complex, R.S. Baitha, the tenders would be finalised soon.
“The hurdles in the construction work of the dam have been sorted out and we are optimistic of releasing water by June this year,” he said.
