Panel for two barrages on river Mahendra Tanaya

Bhubaneswar, Apr 9 (UNI) The technical advisory committee of the Water Resources department has given the green signal for the construction of two barrages on the upstream of river Mahendra Tanaya.

The Committee headed by Engineer-in-Chief Harish Behera cleared the construction of the barrages at Champaur and Dampur in Gajapati district after examining all aspects.

The construction of the barrages was to begin after it has been approved by the administration.

The Orissa government had already sought assistance from NABARD for the construction of the project. The cost of the project has been estimated at Rs 38 crore.

The project had already been approved by the Central Water Commission in 2002.

Sources said the construction work of the project, would start with state government's own resources till the assistance from NABARD was received.

The Orissa government decided to go ahead with the project after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy went ahead with the off-shore irrigation project on the down stream of the river at Regalupadu in Srikakulam district and laid the foundation for the project on April 4 last.

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, in a letter to his counterpart in Andhra Pradesh, had requested not to go ahead with the project until a joint technical committee of both the states had examined the project and submitted a report.

Orissa government opposed the Andhra Pradesh Project as it feared that it would create severe irrigation and drinking water problems in Parlakhemundi area of Gajapati district.

UNI BD LL KLC1253