Sambalpur/Balangir: On a fateful evening in Banchorapali, in Balangir, Satya Banchora fled his submerged home with his family, leaving behind all their belongings. The Lower Suktel Dam project had engulfed their village, including rice and dal meant for his father’s Shraddha feast. By nightfall, their roof was underwater, marking the beginning of a harsh displacement journey for Satya and thousands like him.
Inaugurated in January last year by then-Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the Lower Suktel River Dam Project displaced 29 villages in Balangir district. However, the promises of fair compensation and rehabilitation have turned into a nightmare for the affected families. A press conference organized by the National Alliance for People’s Movement (NAPM) in Sambalpur brought these grievances to light, with activists and victims voicing their concerns.
NAPM convener Prafulla Samantara alleged widespread violations of the 2013 Land Acquisition Act. Most displaced families were compensated under the outdated 2006 Act, offering less financial and legal protection. Those landless were forced into tin sheds, with Rs. 1 lakh deducted from their compensation to cover these inadequate arrangements.
“The displaced were forced out in violation of human rights,” said Samantara. “The government must act against those responsible and ensure justice under the law.”
For families like Satya’s, the reality of rehabilitation is bleak. “The tin houses we live in are uninhabitable,” he said. “We lost our ancestral homes and land, and even our compensation is insufficient. The leases we’ve received state that the land remains government property for 20 years, leaving us in a precarious situation.”
Similarly, Premraj Bariha from Kamihapali village lamented the government’s indifference. “Fifty tribal families in our village have lost 170 acres of land, but only 18 pattas have been given. Our crops are being flooded, and we’re yet to receive compensation as per the 2013 Act.”
The displacement has not only uprooted families but also disrupted education. Narendra Mohanty, an NAPM leader, revealed that 25 students from the Kusmel temporary camp had to abandon their studies. “Children are deprived of education, and families lack access to healthcare and jobs,” Mohanty said.
Livelihoods are another casualty. Farmers have lost cultivable land, with many unable to sustain themselves. “We are far from self-reliance,” said Premraj, highlighting the economic toll of the displacement.
At the press conference, displaced people shared heart-wrenching accounts of their struggles. Satya detailed how bulldozers demolished homes, with police and local mafia allegedly enforcing evictions. Premraj echoed his sentiments, emphasizing the need for compensation and land allotments under the 2013 Act.
The NAPM members alleged that despite promises of rehabilitation, the government’s efforts have been piecemeal at best. Only a handful of families have received compensation as per the 2013 Act, while others are left to fend for themselves in substandard conditions.
The NAPM has called on the state government to reevaluate the rehabilitation process and ensure justice for all affected families. Activists like Prafulla Samantara and farmer leader Lingaraj have urged the government to implement the Forest Rights Act, provide land to the landless, and uphold compensation guarantees under the 2013 Act.
As per the fact-finding team that reached the Kushmel Temporary Colony in Loisingha block on 17 September, 2024, 35 displaced families from Banchorpali, Koindapali, Dunguripali, and Podamund villages have been living there for two years. Each family is housed in a 15'x12' tin structure with an attached kitchen, but the lack of trees and the harsh heat and drought make life challenging in Western Odisha.
While Murali Pandey, 50, from Koindapally, spoke about his daughter’s inability to continue her studies due to missing documents and his family’s lack of access to food, as their ration card is still not transferred, residents like Devaraj Goud, expressed frustration over the administration’s failure to provide permanent housing. Kalash Bag, a widow, struggled to support herself and her daughter after the death of her husband. Renuka Badhei, a student, faces financial challenges, and Rajani Sandha, 25, reported her family’s suffering, including the loss of three children to heat-related illnesses.
Banchorpali Permanent Colony
The team traveled to Banchorpali Permanent Colony, 2-3 km from Kushmel. While some families received compensation (Rs. 9.56 lakh) for displacement and housing demolition, challenges remain. Sudam Mallik, a tribal man, received far less for his land than its market value and was not compensated for disputed land. He criticized the government's actions, including the deduction of Rs. 1 lakh for a temporary tin house, leaving him struggling to support his family. Similar complaints were made by other residents like Sridhar Bagarti and Ramji Mallik.
Anantapali Villagers in Baghdunguri
The displaced people of Anantapali, now living in Baghdunguri, refused government land, opting to buy land themselves. However, they now face dire conditions with no electricity or school, and conflicts with neighboring villagers over their compensation. Hemant Rajput, who helped organize the move, expressed the community’s dissatisfaction with government neglect. They are also struggling to access basic services like healthcare and education, and their children face challenges in obtaining residency certificates.
Kuniapali Village
Kuniapali, where 56 families remain, faces ongoing uncertainty as the government has displaced most families without proper consultation. Villagers filed complaints under the Land Acquisition Act, but their demands were ignored. They also report lack of access to healthcare, water, and government schemes. Local leaders like Premraj Bariha and Rama Chandndra Bariha expressed frustration with the lack of support, especially for vulnerable groups like pregnant women and children. Sukanti Bariha highlighted the loss of cultural identity and justice.
96.69% of affected families compensated
Contacted, Lower Suktel Chief Project Engineer Surendra Bhoi dismissed the allegations as baseless, stating, “It is our good fortune that the major irrigation project in Balangir is nearing completion. Pipe-laying work is underway, and we aim to provide water to everyone by 2026-27. While there are some challenges, I urge everyone to cooperate with us as this project will ensure water supply for the next 100 years.”
Bhoi said fair compensation has already been provided to most displaced families, and efforts are on to address the pending cases. “We are in the process of compensating those left out due to various reasons. A total of 268 landless families were displaced by this project, and almost all of them have been resettled with financial assistance and housing. Currently, 20 families are residing at the temporary resettlement center in Kusmel village, Balangir. We are working to relocate them with alternative land, and soon they, too, will be settled. We will not disappoint anyone and will address all complaints fairly,” he added.
According to the department, 96.69% of the affected families have been compensated, with 10,000 families receiving both housing and ex-gratia support.
Fact Finding Report Says:
The Lower Suktel Irrigation Project on Suktel River, a major tributary of the river, has been started to irrigate parts of Odisha's Balangir and Sonpur districts and provide drinking water to Balangir city. The initial survey for the project was done in 1979 and the Ministry of Environment and Forests approved its environmental clearance in 1998. The plan was to build a dam between Jaraidunguri and Budalagen hills near Magurbeda village in Balangir. The estimated cost of the project has increased from 217.13 crores in 1998 to about 4500 crores in 2018. The state government has neither dug a pipeline to take drinking water to Balangir city nor dug a canal for irrigation, but hastily filled the dam with water which has allegedly compelled the residents to leave the village to save their life, the report alleged.
Despite being a drought-affected district, local people have been strongly opposing the project since the 1990s. Due to this project, more than 12,500 families of about 56 villages have been displaced so far and 583 hectares of forest has been submerged in the dam. At some places, the protesters are continuing their strike under the banner of Lower Suktel Budi Anchal Sangram Samittee.
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