Kotpad: For a long time, the residents of Kotpad have been demanding the restoration of Damayanti Sagar and Debanamunda Pond. Before the elections, the BJD brought in a lake expert from distant Bangalore, raising new hopes. Even five secretaries personally visited the site and announced a grant of approximately Rs19 crore. Based on this, SHG women started the restoration work.
However, the work at Debanamunda remained incomplete. Similarly, although work on Damayanti Sagar began, it was buried again after the monsoon arrived. In the meantime, the elections were completed. The government changed, the leaders changed, but the work on Damayanti Sagar and Debanamunda did not progress further.
On the other hand, after the elections, the NAC (Notified Area Council) claimed that the previous government had not provided funds, and whatever was spent came from NAC’s own resources. Meanwhile, the NAC office is struggling with the bill payments, leaving SHG workers and contractors in limbo.
Additionally, Damayanti Sagar, which originally covered 120 acres, has now shrunk to 82 acres due to encroachment. There are allegations that the lake’s boundaries have been reduced. Intellectuals and the general public are demanding that the MLA and MP intervene to ensure the completion of the project during the current summer season.
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