Chief Technical Examiner (Vigilance) Mr. R. Puram Inspects Ongoing Construction of Samoda-Nisda Diversion Canal

Samples taken to test the quality of the under-construction aqueduct

Chief Technical Examiner (Vigilance), Mr. R. Puram, conducted an on-site inspection today of the under-construction trough and DRB works under the Rajiv Samoda-Nisda Diversion Scheme (Phase-2). During the visit, he assessed the quality of the aqueduct using non-destructive testing equipment and collected samples for laboratory analysis. These samples will be tested at the laboratory in Raipur.

During the inspection, Mr. Puram issued necessary instructions to the concerned officials to expedite the processes of land acquisition and forest clearance in order to avoid unnecessary delays in the project.

He stated that under this ambitious project, the construction of an 82-kilometer-long main canal is proposed, which will provide irrigation facilities to approximately 28,000 hectares of agricultural land. A total of 120 villages will benefit from this project — 12 from Arang block and 108 from Balodabazar district. The canal will start at Nisda (Arang) and extend to village Munda (Kasdol).

The primary objective of the Rajiv Samoda-Nisda Diversion Scheme is to divert water from the Mahanadi Main Canal into the Bhatapara Branch Canal to supply irrigation water to the villages in the Balodabazar and Bhatapara regions. Although the project began in 2005, it remains incomplete due to delays in land acquisition and forest clearance.

Mr. Puram has directed that the project be prioritized and completed swiftly as a pilot initiative under the Atal Irrigation Scheme, which has current budgetary provisions, so that farmers can benefit without further delay. He also mentioned that a detailed inspection report will be released by the organization, and the Executive Engineer, Phase-II, Raipur, will be required to respond within 15 days.