Submitted to

President of India

Copy to
Prime Minister of India
Chief Minister of Odisha
Chief Justice of India
Smt Sonia Gandhi (UPA Chairperson)
Shri L.K. Advani (Opposition Leader, Lok Sabha)
Shri Arun Jaitley (Opposition Leader, Rajya Sabha)
Shri Rahul Gandhi (General Secy. Congress)
Shri Rajnath Singh (President, BJP)
MPs and MLAs of Orissa
Press

Submitted & Approved by

Members of Koshal Discussion and Development Forum (KDDF),
Members of Juhar New Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Berhampur
and Bhubaneswar,
Members of VSS Parivar & well wishers

Drafted by
Er. Sameer Panda, New Delhi
sameerp19@gmail.com

!
" #$ % & ' ( # #)) &$ & )'
* # #))$$$& & ' #)) & ' #)) & '

This document should not be used for other purpose without the written consent of the above signatories.
To
Dear Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Patil,

Copy to:
Honorable Prime Minister of India, Dr. Singh;
Honorable Chief Minister of Odisha, Mr. N. Patnaik;
Honorable Chief Justice of India;
Smt Sonia Gandhi;
Shri L.K. Advani;
MPs and MLAs of Odisha;
Press

Dear Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Patil,

We the general public and intelligentsia of backward, tribal and Maoist infested area of India
i.e. Western part of Odisha, which is historically known as Koshal are disheartened and hurt
due to recent farmers’ death in the region in daily basis. Odisha state Government is unable
and unwilling to take appropriate step to address the problem, especially when the interest of
Koshal region comes due to step-motherly attitude towards the region. The unwillingness of
political leadership and govt. officials is because of grafting huge fundings from these mining
and metallurgical industries.

To unveil few facts and circumstances for your kind attention and adequate action, we beg to
state that, Koshal region had been a prosperous land with abundant natural resources and
self sufficient economy. Flood was not known to Koshal region as it is situated on Eastern
Ghat, which is hilly area and have natural drainage system. However, there were many
occasions of draughts due to lack of proper irrigation. In spite of that it had been a heaven for
tribal people for centuries.

Hirakud dam and other dams were built by the Govt. primarily to decrease the damage by
flood in Coastal Odisha and secondarily to facilitate irrigation in Koshal region (Western
Odisha including KBK). As most of the dams were built in Western Odisha, many villages
were displaced and many people lost their natural habitat. Moreover the displaced people
were kept away from due compensation for their irreparable damage. The act of displacing
people without adequate compensation and forcing them to live in pity for generations is
blatant violation of Right to Life conferred by Constitution of India and Human Rights.

The displaced people settled in places near Hirakud Dam such as in Jharsuguda, Sambalpur
and Bargarh districts. After losing their land and not being compensated said displaced people
bought land and lived on small income generated from their small land holdings. Irrigation
and rain saved these people from facing severe draught like situation for years.

!
" #$ % & ' ( # #)) &$ & )'
* # #))$$$& & ' #)) & ' #)) & '

This document should not be used for other purpose without the written consent of the above signatories.
Forest coverage of the catchment area of Hirakud Dam which lies mostly in Chhattisgarh, has
declined drastically which is evident from browsing catchment area of the Hirakud on Google
Earth. Most of the perenial water sources and streams come from the Bauxite holding
Mountains due to the water affinity of the mineral. As bauxite and iron ores are being
extracted, the water holding capacity of these have declined causing siltation, flash floods etc
during rain and draught during summer. Adding to it unsustainable industrialization and use
of water resources by Industry the irrigation in this region has suffered. High level of
Pollution due to many small and large industries along with an ineffective, corrupt Pollution
Control Board; and indiscriminate deforestation has decreased precipitation and has increased
diseases leading either to decrease in yield or loss of crop.

The State Government had given false assurance to the Koshal region farmers that irrigation
in the Hirakud command area will not be adversely affected by industrialization, nevertheless
the government has taken all steps to facilitate use of water by Industry which is actually
meant for farmers. Though the Industries have huge financial resources to make their own
water bodies or to increase the water holding capacity of Hirakud the govt. has not taken a
step for it, rather left the poor farmers to suffer for their innocence in believing the State
Government.

According to survey conducted by Pune-based National Centre for Advocacy Studies and
Government’s reply in the Assembly, in just two years from 1998-’99 to 2000-’01 rabi
irrigation potential has shrunk by 18.48 per cent in the command area. Prior to the pre-April
1997 period, water withdrawal permission to industries from Hirakud was just 71,252 lakh
gallons per year (LGY), which was only 13.2 per cent of the total industrial water use
permission granted in Odisha. Now the Government of Odisha have permitted to use
5,04,431.2 LGY water from Hirakud which was 26.3 per cent of the total withdrawal
permission. After the formation of Water Allocation Committee industrial water allocation
from the reservoir has gone up to 31.45 percent total water burden of industries. Development
Support Centre, Ahmedabad has found that in the tail-end of the designated command area 82
per cent are not getting water even today. So, Hirakud dam is no more solving the purpose of
irrigation rather solving the purposes of Industries.

Step-motherly attitude of Government of Odisha and no step for irrigation, sustainable

development, exploitation, no crop insurance, no easy finance etc. have brought this level of
disparity and frustration that the farmers have no other way but to commit suicide. More
interestingly few leaders of ruling BJD party have tried to paint it in different colours without
even properly investigating into the matter, and are trying to escape from their responsibility.

Keeping in view of above facts and circumstances we beg your kind intervention in this
matter for finding out a plausible solution and take immediate action.

!
" #$ % & ' ( # #)) &$ & )'
* # #))$$$& & ' #)) & ' #)) & '

This document should not be used for other purpose without the written consent of the above signatories.
We propose following solutions for your kind consideration:

1. Water tax can be levied on industries, which can be spent for the purpose of
desiltation of Hirakud and capacity building.
2. Govt. builds a small dam for disiltation purpose before Hirakud. Two Geologists from
IIT Roorkee and Sambalpur University have strongly recommended for it. The
proposed dam will have very small capacity enough to keep water for 24-48 hours, so
that the sediments will deposit and the velocity of water is decreased. It will increase
the life of Hirakud Dam and solve the problem of siltation and sedimentation.
3. Each industry has to make a water bodies by water harvesting (internally and
externally) or by small dams or by barrages of the double the capacity as that of its
per annum use in Koshal area. (e.g. Small barrages can be built near Saintala,
Jarsingha, Kesinga, Borda etc. )
4. Completion of Upper Indravati Project in Kalahandi, Lower Indra Irrigation Project
in Nuapada, Lower Suktel proejct in Balangir on urgent basis. A revolving citizens
forum should be formed to see progress of such type of irrigation project. The citizen
forum should be an independent body to investigate, communicate and reccomend to
State govt. and Central Govt.
5. One central independent commission (comprising at least one Supreme Court Judge
and three technical experts) and they investigate and give the eco-sustainability report
of existing or proposed industries. The central commission also investigate whether
the industries have adhered to MOUs in words and spirit and whether State Govt. has
taken appropriate steps to mitigate the problems of farmers.
6. All the farmers of Koshal be provided with Crop Insurance, Life Insurance and Health
Insurance. The payment of premium can be shared between Central Govt., State Govt,
Industries and farmers.
7. A Tribal & Agriculture centrally funded university be set up in Bhawanipatna or
Bolangir, and any such institute can have a substantial contribution from industries
like Vedanta and Bhusan.

Yours sincerely,

Members of Koshal Discussion and Development Forum (KDDF),

Members of Juhar New Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Berhampur
and Bhubaneswar,
Members of VSS Parivar & well wishers
[Note: KDDF is forum of global people interested in development of Koshal region of Odisha in other words
Western Odisha. KDDF is a non-political and non-separatist organization interested in bringing development to
Western Odisha and simultaneously popularize significance of Koshal among general mass in similar spirit like
for Utkala or Kalinga is done and it does not associate with separate state movement rather encourage people to
be proud for their Koshal historical route.]

!
" #$ % & ' ( # #)) &$ & )'
* # #))$$$& & ' #)) & ' #)) & '

This document should not be used for other purpose without the written consent of the above signatories.
Reference:
1. http://kddf.wordpress.com/category/agriculture-and-irrigation/farmer-suicide/
2. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Another-Sambalpur-farmer-
kills-self/articleshow/5186878.cms
3. http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=No+Orissa+dist+in+drough
t+list&artid=qRh7jYN5hY0=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV
9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=
4. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Another-Sambalpur-farmer-
kills-self/articleshow/5186870.cms
5. http://orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=15233
6. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Orissa-Two-more-
farmers-commit-suicide-toll-goes-up-to-9/articleshow/5200943.cms
7. http://trak.in/news/farmers-march-bulls-and-cows-for-protest-to-draw-authorities-
attention-in-orissa/16799/
8. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/nov/05/vedanta-resources-mining-india-
zambia
9. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/31419/bjp-demands-patnaiks-resignation-
farmers.html
10. http://www.merinews.com/article/farmer-suicides-continue-in-
orissa/15786715.shtml
11. http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Another+farmer%E2%80%
99s+death+fuels+anger&artid=Oyks8MCn2C4=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&
MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=
12. http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Farmer+hangs+self,+anoth
er+tries+to+end+life&artid=emC4L22UfA0=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&Mai
nSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=
13. http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Team+spends+%E2%80%9
8less+than+30+minutes+to+find+fact%E2%80%99&artid=T8zRw7/j|o8=&Sectio

!
" #$ % & ' ( # #)) &$ & )'
* # #))$$$& & ' #)) & ' #)) & '

This document should not be used for other purpose without the written consent of the above signatories.
 nID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEO
BkuKw=&SEO=
14. http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Farmer+suicided+over+cro
p+loss,+admits+BJD&artid=KSXUFUladzs=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&Mai
nSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=
15. Area under Western Odisha or Koshal region in Odisha map.

!
" #$ % & ' ( # #)) &$ & )'
* # #))$$$& & ' #)) & ' #)) & '

This document should not be used for other purpose without the written consent of the above signatories.