Jeypore: The restoration work of Jagannath Sagar is set to resume, with the state government allocating ₹9 crore for its completion. The municipality has been instructed to immediately prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and invite tenders.
Following the directive of the state government, retired Chief Engineer Haribandhu Behera, the advisor of the Reservoir Restoration Unit, visited Jagannath Sagar to assess the current situation. This development has brought new hope to the residents of Jeypore.
To expedite the restoration work, Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, along with the Jagannath Sagar Trust and local residents, had drawn the attention of the Chief Minister. The MLA had raised the issue in the Assembly, while the trust authorities had submitted a memorandum and staged protests demanding action.
Under pressure, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi directed the Reservoir Restoration Unit advisor, Mr. Behera, to visit Jeypore in January. After inspecting Jagannath Sagar, he submitted a report to the Chief Minister, recommending necessary measures for development.
As part of the project, 9 crore has been sanctioned, and instructions have been given for the DPR preparation and tender process. Following this, the advisor has again visited Jeypore. Accompanied by Municipal Engineer Ajay Kumar Jani and Junior Engineer Pratap Acharya, he reviewed the situation and later met with Sub-Collector Akabharm Sasya Reddy to discuss the restoration process.
Restoration Plan and Timeline
The removal of silt and sludge from the reservoir is planned, with the municipality aiming to complete the DPR and tender process by March 15. Unlike before, the restoration work will now be assigned to a contractor instead of support groups. The municipality has also tasked the Water Resources Department with preparing the DPR and estimate.
Previously, ₹5.80 crore had been spent on Jagannath Sagar’s restoration under the former government’s Ama Pokhari Yojana, which had initially announced a ₹14 crore budget. Of this, ₹5.80 crore was spent, and the remaining ₹9 crore is now being provided by the state government. However, the previous government had not fully disbursed the allocated funds to the municipality, forcing it to continue the work using alternative financial resources.
There were allegations of large-scale corruption in the earlier restoration work, leading to complaints being filed with the Vigilance Department by the BJP.