Sambalpur, July 25: Resentment is brewing in western Orissa over the proposed Sindol hydro-power projects that are likely to come up at three different places in Sambalpur, Sonepur and Boudh districts. The combined investment in these projects would be Rs 2,600 crore.

Several political and non-political outfits have questioned the justification of the hydel-power projects on the Mahanadi river.

Former Sambalpur MP Bhawani Shankar Hota had condemned the proposal of the Sindol hydro-power projects on the Mahanadi.

Now, Sindol Prakalpa Birodhi Sangram Samiti (SPBSS), an organisation spearheaded by local residents, has threatened agitation against the proposed projects.

“The three barrages at Deogaon in Sambalpur, Kapasira in Sonepur and Godhaneswar in Boudh will be of 811.8 metre, 919.50 metre, and 1017.50 metres in length, generating 100, 100 and 120MW of hydro-electricity respectively. The government will spend Rs 2,600 crore on these projects. The total installed capacity of Upper Colab, Rengali, Balimela, Indravati and Burla is 2,255MW whereas the average generation during the peak period is only 919.5MW. The authorities do not achieve the target due to lack of water in the river,” said SPBSS convenor Srikant Panigrahi.

“The people here had opposed the project and the government had earlier shelved the proposal. Now they want to revive it. They claim that there will be no displacement. But we have doubts about the government’s assertions,” said Manbodh Bhoi, SPBSS convener and panchayat samiti member of Deogaon.

“According to the earlier plan of Sindol hydro-power projects, the famous Huma temple, Godheneswar temple, 118 villages, 20,000acres of reserved forest, 16,000acres of fertile cultivable land, 240 homestead land, five colleges and 25 schools were under threat of being submerged. As per the new proposal, the height of the reservoirs have been decreased by two metres only,” said Bhoi.