Sambalpur, July 22: The state government’s proposed Sindol hydro power projects have caused resentment among local people here as they believe it would affect their livelihoods in over hundred villages.

The Orissa Hydro Power Corporation has signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Hydro Power Corporation for the Sindol hydro power projects on the Mahanadi river yesterday.

Former MP of Sambalpur Bhawani Shankar Hota has termed the initiative of the state government as ‘anti-people’. “The Sindol hydro power projects, if implemented, would bring untold miseries and devastation to the people of this region,” said Hota.

“This is not a new project. In fact, it is the Hirakud stage III project. Activists and political parties, including people from the present ruling party, had opposed the project in the past. The project had been abandoned earlier due to stiff opposition. Now, the government is trying to revive the project,” he said.

“According to the official advertisements, the three barrages — Deogaon under Sambalpur, Kapasira under Sonepur and Godhaneswar under Boudh — will be of 811.8 metre, 919.50 metre, and 1017.50 metre in length, generating 100, 100 and 120 MW of hydro electricity respectively. The government will spend around 3,000 crore rupees for these projects. It has mentioned the length of the barrages, but surprisingly, it has not mentioned the height of the barrages,” said Hota.

He alleged that 118 villages would be affected by the project.

“In addition, twenty thousand acres of reserved and village forestland, 16,000 acres of fertile cultivable land and 240 acres of homestead land will be submerged under this project,” he added.

“The people of western Orissa had firmly opposed this project in the past. Still, the government is going against the sentiment of the people by proposing the power project.,” he said.

“The project would neither protect the costal belt of the state from recurring flood nor would it create any kind of employment,” Hota said.

The government has not undertaken any study to know how many people of the affected areas would suffer loss of livelihood and how many of them would get employment directly or indirectly. We must know the cost benefit analysis of the project,” Hota said.

“This is an anti-people project and we demand that the government withdraws it. If the government does not refrain from this project, the people of this region will again resort to agitation,” Hota said.