Pani Panchayat leaders stage demo over water

JEYPORE: Pani panchayat leaders of Upper Kolab project staged a demonstration in front of the Orissa Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) office here demanding more generation of power from the project to get irrigation water in the ayacut areas. According to farmers, crops over 10,000 hectares  have been damaged in Jeypore, Kotpad and Borrigumma blocks in the absence of irrigation water from Upper Kolab project.Sources said the OHPC produces only 60 MW of power from the project and the farmers get only 30 cusecs of water for irrigation. However, the farmers require generation of 100 MW a day to get 50 cusecs of water for cultivation. Without water in the canals for the last 15 days, crops over 10,000 hectares have withered and farmers are now on a warpath. In the wake of the situation, hundreds of pani panchayat leaders of the project area took out a procession on Saturday.  Manager Subash Patra told them that power generation would be increased after discussions with the State Load Dispatch Centre authorities. He assured them  that power generation would go up to 100 MW in coming days.