Construction work at Hadiapatha. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Aug. 10: Controversy over construction of an “intake well” under an Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) project at Hadiapatha has escalated with the opponents stepping up their campaign for scrapping of the project.

The intake structure spread over 100sqmt is the most crucial facility for water supply from the Mahanadi river to IOCL’s crude oil refinery and petrochemical complex in Paradip. The state water resources department had given approval for the construction on June 7, 2010.

Yesterday, members of the Mahanadi Banchao Andolan professed its resolve to stop the project, as part of their movement against the river water supply for industrial use. Members of some puja committees of Cuttack also joined their voices with the Andolan to oppose the construction.

“The construction is a threat to future drinking water requirements of the people of Cuttack city as it will be used for taking water from the river and in the process deplete the groundwater level,” said Rajendra Kumar Samal, secretary of the Balu Bazar Puja Committee.

Former urban development minister Samir Dey said: “The intake capacity has been reportedly planned along with a pumping system of more than one lakh cusec water a day. Such volume of water intake would have catastrophic effect on Cuttack city as it solely depends on ground water for drinking and other needs.”

“Moreover, the construction along with other allied structures would pose threat to the city when the Mahanadi river is floodedDey said.

Irrigation (Mahanadi south division) executive engineer Subrat Das said: “The government has given approval for the IOCL project to be undertaken at Hadiapatha. However, there should be no apprehension about the earthen-filling around the intake structure as removal of the temporary construction work has been a condition while giving approval for construction of intake well.” The intake well is basically an engineering project in which there will be three gates and two presettlement tanks for collection of sand and debris. The clean water will then be pumped and through a 93km-long pipeline will be carried to the IOCL plant at Paradip.

Lanco, a Hyderabad-based construction company, is carrying out the construction on behalf of the Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services that has got the contract on build-operate-transfer basis for constructing the intake well and laying pipelines.

LANCO’s deputy general manager Ashok Patnaik said: “The earthen embankment has been constructed to provide a working platform for the approach and intake well. After completion of the pump house construction within the enclosed area of intake walls the earthen filling will be removed and disposed to a designated dump.”

The high court imposed interim restrictions on the construction work at Hadiapatha on July 29. The court issued the interim order on a PIL expressing apprehension that the construction would pose threat to the city when the Mahanadi river is in flood. Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum secretary Nishikanta Mishra filed the PIL.