Protest Against Sindol hydropower Project ( Sambalpur Bandh on August 9 )

 Sindol hydropower project, Proposed by the State Govt, has come under severe criticisms. Political and non political organisations of western Orissa are protesting against the project. The District Bar Association at the general body meeting has decided to observe a 12-hour bandh on August 9 . The three sites of the project- Sindol-I (100 MW), Sindol-II (100 MW) and Sindol-III (120 MW) - are located in Sambalpur, Boudh and Sonepur districts. The Orissa Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) had on July 21 signed a MoU with NHPC Ltd for this project.

The proposal is anti-people and we will not tolerate this injustice. We will also ask Kuchinda Bar Association and Rairakhol Bar Association of the district to observe bandh on August 9,” said Pramod Rath, president of Sambalpur Bar Association today. The government has failed to rehabilitate the people who were displaced by Hirakud dam. The Sindol project will lead to submergence of many villages. There are already a number of industries in Sambalpur. Local People of Sambalpur do not want any more industries.

“We will support the bandh. Our organisation will protest in front of various state government offices on that day. We will also stage a dharna in front of the office of revenue divisional commissioner on August 17,” said Siva Narayana Sahu, convener of the Sindol Bruhat Jala Bidyut Prakalpa Birodhi Kriyanusthan Committee. The government should come out with a blueprint of the hydropower project proposal. The government has not as yet produced any document regarding the areas that will be submerged for the proposed projects,” said Sabir Ahemmad, secretary of Sambalpur Bar Association.