Nabarangpur, 22nd July 2025: The Indravati Hydro Power Project, built by neglecting the Nabarangpur district, has failed to deliver either water or electricity to the region. In 2009, the Chief Engineer’s office was shifted from Indravati, stripping it of all real authority, retaining only administrative powers. The Additional Chief Engineer’s Office now functions at Indravati Dam Circle, with zero financial control.
Despite this, annual expenditures for institutions, medical facilities, and staff quarters under the Indravati Dam Circle are shared 50-50 between Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) and the Water Resources Department.
Yet, instead of offering jobs to educated unemployed youth, OHPC is rehiring retired officials, many of whom already draw monthly pensions above ₹50,000. These rehired individuals are being posted at Indravati Dam Circle. It’s unclear whether their salaries and health benefits are being split 50-50 between OHPC and the Water Resources Department, as no official statement has clarified this.
For instance:
Gopal Krishna Panda, who earlier worked as a Section Officer in the Deputy General Manager’s office, Indravati, is now rehired. His wife is reportedly the sister-in-law of a senior SOUP employee.
Seemanchal Mishra, who served as a Section Officer in the Chief Construction Engineer’s office at Indravati, also retired and has been reappointed. His wife works as a Level-4 teacher in the School & Mass Education Department.
Both Panda and Mishra have been rehired by OHPC with monthly salaries over ₹31,000. Panda reportedly works at Indravati only about 10 days a month. When asked, even Panda claimed he doesn’t know what Mishra actually does. This raises the question: Why is OHPC rehiring high-pensioned officials instead of giving jobs to unemployed educated youth? Strangely, no one seems to be questioning this.
Meanwhile, contractual science teachers at Indravati High School face ongoing job insecurity. OHPC had earlier appointed three to four engineers to teach at the school, paying them around ₹25,000 monthly. Now, instead of renewing contracts, the school has been left without a science teacher. Out of the earlier teachers, two have retired and applied for reappointment, but the corporation has ignored their applications. Likewise, Ramesh Pani, a retired engineer (NE-3), hasn’t received his reappointment order either.
Although OHPC has been making profits in crores annually, it appears to contribute nothing meaningful to Nabarangpur district. Even in its own institutions like schools and health centers, the corporation refuses to appoint staff to vacant and retired posts.
The big question remains:
In whose interest is OHPC rehiring retired officers instead of employing qualified, unemployed youth?