{"id":138148,"date":"2025-06-07T19:06:27","date_gmt":"2025-06-07T13:36:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/indusvalleytimes.com\/news\/?p=138148"},"modified":"2025-06-07T19:06:28","modified_gmt":"2025-06-07T13:36:28","slug":"medha-patkar-opposes-dam-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indusvalleytimes.com\/news\/medha-patkar-opposes-dam-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Medha Patkar Opposes Dam Project on Rushikulya River, Calls for Public Resistance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"caps\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color\">BY PRAKASH PANIGRAHI<\/mark><\/strong><br><strong>Berhampur, June 7:<\/strong> Prominent environmental activist Medha Patkar has voiced strong opposition to a proposed dam project over the Rushikulya River in Odisha\u2019s Ganjam district, warning that such moves driven by corporate interests would endanger local livelihoods, ecosystems, and communities dependent on the river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking at a discussion organised by the Laxman Nayak Community Hall in Berhampur, Patkar criticised the government\u2019s reported plan to construct a dam at Pipalpanka on the upper stretch of the Rushikulya River, allegedly to supply water to private companies. \u201cDomestic corporate selfishness is turning Ganjam\u2019s lifeline, the Rushikulya, into a dangerous proposition,\u201d she said, urging residents of the district to come forward and oppose this effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The discussion, jointly organised by the Rushikulya Banchao Abhiyan Committee and the Centre for Climate Justice under the theme <em>\u2018Natural Wealth Protection and the Constitution\u2019<\/em>, drew attention to the broader environmental and social consequences of large dams in India. \u201cAcross the country, big dams have often proven to be suicidal projects\u2014destroying rivers, livelihoods, and ecosystems,\u201d Patkar remarked, citing multiple examples from India and abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She argued that while advanced countries are moving away from large dams, India\u2019s policymakers continue to prioritise corporate interests in water and electricity distribution, sidelining public welfare. \u201cInstead of mega dams, what we need are smaller reservoirs and check dams within catchment areas to protect rivers and secure water for people and agriculture,\u201d she asserted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Expressing grave concern, Patkar noted that while most of the Rushikulya\u2019s tributaries and reservoirs remain dry for much of the year, plans are being made to build a major dam upstream to divert water to industries \u2014 a move she termed both \u201cundemocratic\u201d and \u201cdisastrous.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In his address, environmentalist Prafulla Samantara also criticised the state government\u2019s recent industrial push in Ganjam, questioning the opaque water allocation strategies for these projects. \u201cThe Chief Minister\u2019s announcement of new industrial units in Ganjam raises serious concerns \u2014 where will the water for these projects come from?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Local activist and farmer leader Moon Sarangi warned that the proposed Pipalpanka dam would submerge nearly 2,000 hectares of dense forest and 23 villages. \u201cThis will devastate not just nature, but thousands of lives,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among others who spoke at the event were former legislator Narayana Reddy, journalist Vigneshwar Sahu, farmer leader Bhagirathi Khatei, and Western Odisha farmer activist Lingaraj Azad. Noted writer O.O. Bijuli Mishra called for greater participation of women in the river protection movement, expressing hope that a people-led, inclusive struggle could achieve meaningful change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks from Aditya Jena, a member of the Rushikulya Banchao Abhiyan Committee.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BY PRAKASH PANIGRAHIBerhampur, June 7: Prominent environmental activist Medha Patkar has voiced strong opposition to a proposed dam project over the Rushikulya River in Odisha\u2019s Ganjam district, warning that such<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":138149,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-138148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-top-stories"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Medha Patkar Opposes Dam Project<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Medha Patkar Opposes Dam Project Medha Patkar Opposes Dam Project\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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