Sambalpur vibrants over Sindol scuttle

The government’s decision to cancel the MOU of the Sindhol Hydropower Project has received a mixed reaction in Sambalpur. While organizations and individuals claimed this as ‘people’s win’, few others feel it’s a political decision in view of the panchayat poll. However by and large there was a feeling of relief among the people of the region who expressed happiness  on the decision of the state government.

The ‘Sindhol Sangharsh Samiti’ welcoming the decision of the government said that the organization would continue its fight to protect the interest of the western Odisha in coming days. The convener of the Samiti, Sapan Mishra in a press release descried it a ‘win’ of the people as the project was anti-people and government was forcibly throwing the project on the people with out taking their consent in to consideration.

The convener of the Sindhol Bruhat Jalaprakalp Birodhi action committee Siba Narayan Sahu said it was a win of the people as the proposed project was totally anti-people and it was poising a threat to the ancient monument like Huma lineal temple. “Many ethnic tribes would have lost their occupations and native land under the proposed project. So we opposed the project from the day one”, Sahu said.

. The Sindhol prakalpa Birodhi Manch of Sonepur also congratulated the people describing it a ‘victory’ of the people of entire region. The convener of the Manch, UN Purohit however appealed the people to ready to fight any injustice on the region by any government in future.

The former BJP president Suresh Pujari said that government can not stand before the people’s mandate.”It is a win of the battle fought by the lakhs of people of the region. But this is not the end. Every one should be ready for such battle in future”, Pujari said.  

The water Initiative Odisha (WIO), a social organization working in the field of water conservation apprehended it a political move of the government in view of the panchayat poll.  “We demand the government to issue a Gazette Notification clearly mentioning the cancellation of the project with   immediate effect and that no further move will initiated on this front in future “convener of the WIO Ranjan Panda said.