The site of construction of the IOCL’s water intake system on Mahanadi riverbed in Cuttack. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Feb. 13: Orissa High Court today sought assistance of the state government to resolve the dispute over construction of water intake system for the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)’s Paradip refinery project in the Mahanadi river in Cuttack.

The court asked Odisha’s water resources secretary to be present on February 16, the date fixed by it for next hearing on the Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum’s PIL on the water intake system vis-à-vis the IOCL’s petition for lifting of restrictions imposed on construction in an interim order on July 29, 2011.

The court issued the order after perusal of the report of a technical expert committee constituted by it to study the possible impact of the construction of the water intake system for the Rs 29,777 crore crude oil refinery and petrochemical complex.

While ruling out any possible impact on the river, the report submitted by the five-member committee headed by retired chief engineer S.M. Patnaik, had said: “The construction of the intake well and controlling mechanism will not in any manner affect the embankments on either side as well as course of the river Mahanadi.”

The committee also said: “The construction of the intake structure will not affect irrigation supply in the Mahanadi delta. Groundwater recharge will also remain unaffected as the pond level and area remain unaltered by construction of intake structure.” “There is surplus water available in the Mahanadi river even after meeting the present demand for irrigation, municipal supply and the committed industrial or infrastructural supply. Full drinking water requirement can be met from the river Mahanadi on priority basis,” the technical expert committee observed in its report, a copy of which is in possession of The Telegraph.

“After perusal of the technical expert committee’s report, the division bench of Justice B.P. Das and Justice M.M. Das directed the water resources secretary to be present in person when the court takes up the case for next hearing on February 16. The court expected him to assist it in taking a decision on the disagreement over construction of the intake well,” the forum’s president and counsel Ghasiram Verma told The Telegraph.

The forum’s secretary Nishikanta Mishra had filed the PIL seeking judicial intervention against the construction on the ground that it would pose threat to the city when the river is in flood.

Odisha government’s water resources department had given permission to the IOCL to draw 40 million gallons of water per day from upstream Mahanadi barrage subject to availability of water during the non-monsoon and lean period.