Orissa Works department lodged FIR against IOCL for illegal dumping of pipes on state highway
Paradip   26-Oct-2010

Unauthorized dumping of thousands of pipes of Oil Refinery project of IndianOil (IOCL) on Cuttack- Paradip state high way has affected the construction work of this road in which works department has sought the intervention of police to take action against errant IOC officials.

IOCL has been taken water of 40 lakh gallons per day through Talanda canal for its construction work of oil refinery project in Paradip. Now it has decided to take raw water from Mahanadai River barrage, Cuttack in stead of Talanda canal through pipe lines. It would take 75.65 cusec of raw water from this barrage. After obtaining water from Mahanadai River barrage, it would stop the requirement of raw water from Talanda canal.

One officer of IOCL has expressed that raw water from Mahandai River Barrage would come through pipe lines from Cuttack to Paradip in which it has decided to lay pipe lines on road sides of Cuttack- Paradip state highway belonging of works department. It would cover the laying of raw water pipe lines from 5 to 75 kms of this state highway in which IOCL has obtained the permission from chief engineer, works department to lay the pipe lines on this road side.

Interestingly, department has not yet given permission to IOCL to lay pipe lines but it has been forcibly dumped the thousands of pipes on both sides of Cuttack-Paradip state high way since three to four months. Meanwhile, Chief Engineer, works department has directed the officials of IOCL that no permission would be given to this factory for laying the pipe lines due to create of hindrances on the construction work of Cuttack- Paradip State High way. Violating the directive of works department, IOCL has forcibly dumped thousands of pipes on both sides of this road creating hindrance of construction of this road.

Sources said that widening and construction work of 82 Kms Cuttack- Paradip state highways is going on full swing at the cost of Rs 125 cores. Out of 82 Kms roads, only 35 Kms have been completed within three years due to tardy progress and delay to get forest clearance from Union Ministry of Forest and Environment for cutting of trees from road sides from Cuttack to Kandarpur of this road. Meanwhile, MOEF has been given forest clearance so cutting of trees are going on this road for construction work of this road.

Project director, Cuttack- Paradip state highway Mr Kumarbar Swain has expressed that works department has not yet given clearance to IOCL to lay the raw water pipe lines on 5 to 75 Kms of this road as construction work is on progress. But factory authority has been dumped the pipes unauthorized creating hindrances for construction work of this road. Legal action would be taken against factory for illegal dumping of pipes on this road.

Meanwhile, the activists of Mahanadai Bacchao Samiti have strongly protested the supply of water from Mahanadi River to industries for affecting agriculture in three districts Cuttack, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpurdue to acute shortage of water. They have also protested to lay the pipe lines on this road illegally without permission of the state government as well as works department. They have also demanded to collect compensation from IOCL for hundreds acres of land on this road towards lying of pipe lines. While government has been fixed the compensation rate towards the acquisition of revenue land from industries why free land of works department to be given to industries in free cost. They have urged to take legal action against the errant IOC authority for illegal dumping pipes on this road.

Contacted, assistant engineer, Fakirapara sub division (works) Mr Jayant Dhal has expressed that unauthorized dumping of pipes from Cuttack to Kandarpur has created hindrances the construction work of this road in which he has lodged an FIR at Cuttack Sadar, Chuliaganj police station and Kandarpur out post to take action against errant officials of IOCL. Police is investigating this case.