Lower Suktel Project Overview Balangir
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SWAYNSHULower Suktel Project Overview Balangir
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Powered by AIThe project has significantly affected local communities. A total of 9738.15 acres of land are required across 29 villages, but only 5455.14 acres have been acquired so far from 15 villages. In terms of displacement, 3552 families in 13 villages were affected, with 1461 persons displaced. Of these, 616 chose government relocation and 2936 opted for self-relocation. Only 203 displaced persons have received their final installment of R&R assistance .
Financial investments in the project have escalated from an original cost of 217.13 crore to a revised estimate of 2448.09 crore by 2015. Up to July 2018, expenditures had reached 1255.96 crore. Cost overruns are linked to prolonged delays, the complexity of land acquisition issues, increasing construction costs, and additional provisions needed for R&R. These expenditures, compared to the original budget, reflect the project's challenges in achieving financial control amidst socio-political resistance .
The main components of the Lower Suktel Project include the construction of an earthen dam, which is 1155 m long, a 12-gated spillway of 255 m across the river Suktel, as well as a proposed pressurized UGPL (Underground Pipeline) irrigation system designed to cover a Culturable Command Area (CCA) of 51,000 hectares. These components are intended to impact 29 villages around the Suktel river catchment area of 1230 square kilometers .
The challenges in land acquisition include dealing with both fully and partially submerged villages and navigating legal frameworks such as transitioning from the old L.A. Act.1894 to the RFCTLA R&R Act.2013. Many displaced persons resisted, causing significant delays. Strategies to overcome these include offering differential L.A. compensation, deploying the district administration and police protection to resume work, and structuring payments in installments for R&R assistance. Additionally, a 11(1) notification was submitted to expedite land acquisition for balance areas .
The original project cost was 217.13 crore (1996 price level). It was revised to 1041.81 crore in 2009, and then to 2448.09 crore in 2015. Factors contributing to these changes likely include inflation adjustments, changes in project scope or scale, delays in project execution, and additional costs incurred due to land acquisition challenges and resistance from displaced persons .
The project applies a combination of the old Land Acquisition Act of 1894 for some areas where land was already acquired, and the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act (RFCTLA R&R Act) of 2013 for additional and pending acquisitions. Differential compensation payments are offered to address discrepancies between the acts. The administration also submitted a 11(1) notification to the Revenue & Disaster Management Department for expediting acquisition .
The completion of the spillway was projected for June 2019, with the spillway gate work set to conclude by March 2020. The completion of the dam and dyke was expected by March 2020, and the distribution system through the pressurized UGPL was projected for June 2021. These projections indicate significant delays largely attributed to project resistance and the challenges in land acquisition and displacement management .
The Pressurized Underground Pipeline (UGPL) irrigation system is significant because it aims to efficiently manage water distribution over a large Culturable Command Area of 51,000 hectares. It allows precise and controlled water delivery, minimizing evaporation and distribution losses, which is especially critical in regions susceptible to water scarcity. This system enhances sustainable agricultural practices by ensuring optimal water use in Balangir and Sonepur districts .
Local community protests have severely affected project timelines and completion targets. Protests stopped dam construction from 2001 until 2013 and caused multiple delays afterward, including work stoppages in 2015. The spillway, although 70% complete by July 2018, saw further work halted indefinitely due to demands from the residents of Pardhiapali. These disruptions have pushed completion targets for the spillway to June 2019, and full completion of other components to as late as June 2021 .
As of July 2018, the dam construction had only reached 49% completion due to repeated work stoppages from displaced persons' resistance, which lasted from 2001 to 2013 and resumed after 2013 but were halted again in 2015. The spillway was 70% complete but work had stopped since 20 July 2018 due to protests by villagers concerning demands from Dam-based village Pardhiapali. The preparation of the Detailed Project Report for the distribution system was still underway, suggesting significant delays in the project .