Rama Chandra Panda

Political career

He is presently National Vice-President of BJP Kisan Morcha of (2013-2015). He is currently the State Executive Member of BJP, Odisha Unit. Earlier he held these posts of Chairman of two Odisha State Public Undertakings namely Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation and Odisha Agro Industries Corporation.

He had quit from BJP, Odisha to join Uma Bharti's Bharatiya Janshakti Party on 30 April 2006. With Arabinda Dhali, a former transport and corporation minister and two-time MLA from Malkangiri district he had joined the above said party. Perhaps intervention by outside leaders in Ganjam District Organization was reason for his decision leaving the party. Later, almost after a year on 7 April 2007 he rejoined BJP, after getting absolute majority by his supports in Gram Panchayat elections in Ganjam Block.

Social Activities

Earlier he also served as Part-time Law teacher in Berhampur University, Odisha. He also served as member of Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee, SE Railway.

He attended the Commonwealth study program in the House of Commons, UK. He visited a number of countries namely Sri Lanka, UK, Singapore, Nepal, UAE, Saudi Arabia. He is also a trade union leader and has been fighting for the cause of labourers and industrial workers.

River Linking in the State

The former Deputy Speaker of the Odisha Assembly, Ram Chandra Panda had approached the Odisha High Court seeking its intervention to expedite the process of river-linking in the State. He had filed a PIL citing River-linking the only way to save Ganjam. The petitioner also led the ‘Rushikulya Bachao Manch (RBM)’ which was demanding the linking of the Mahanadi and Rushikulya. This organisation had organised a large farmers’ rally on 2007 demanding the implementation of this river-linking project. It may be noted that the state government had also come up with a river linking project between Vansadhara and Rushikulya rivers a few years ago, which was shelved. According to him Mahanadi-Rushikulya river linking project is the only way to save water-scarce Ganjam district and to reduce regular floods in the Mahanadi. The RBM had also prepared a detailed viability report of the project.According to Mr Panda the viable solution to link the two rivers was to use the Subalaya barrage project to transfer surplus water of Mahanadi to Rushikulya. A memorandum to this effect had been submitted to the Centre by the State Government in 2000 and in 2003. Even the National Water Development Agency had acknowledged that the project was viable.

According to Mr. Panda the Central Water (CWC) in the past had also showed positive attitude towards river linking plan in Odisha which is also part of the greater river linking plan for the country. It may be noted that in 2012, proposal for a project to link Mahanadi and Rushikulya rivers in Odisha was being put forward since eighties. Former Chief Minister and present Assam Governor Janaki Ballabh Patnaik has also advocated linking of Rushikulya and Mahanadi rivers as the solution to problem of droughts and floods in Odisha.

According to the RBM, linking of the two major rivers in the State was the only solution to check water scarcity in areas of south Odisha and to reduce regular floods in the Mahanadi basin. In 2010 activists of the RBM had taken up a symbolic rally from Vansadhara River in south Odisha to Mahanadi River. They had mixed water of all rivers on their way to create awareness about river linking project.

At Berhampur by now, water reaches Dakhinpur reservoir near the city from Janibili by open canal, due to which loss of water during transportation is quite high which can be checked by the pipeline.the pipeline project had been thought up by Berhampur municipality way back in 1975. At that time the project cost was only Rs 5 crores. In 1998 its project cost was assessed to be Rs 48 crores and now it has escalated to Rs 250 crores. Yet till now no money has been sanctioned for the project. Similarly the Cheligada project was thought of during the seventies when Nilamani Routray was the Chief Minister. But till now construction work of the project has not started. The demonstrators feel these two projects can solve drinking water crisis of the city.

Total cost - As per the pre-feasibility report of NWDA, the total cost of link canal to connect the two rivers from Baramul is estimated to be Rs. 3806.61 crore. Annual cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs. 402.43 crore, while its annual benefit from irrigation, power and municipal use is worked out to be Rs. 412.88 crore. Seven villages with population of 1331 are likely to be affected by the barrage to be constructed at Baramul.

Irrigation - The proposed link canal is to start from proposed Baramul barrage on the Mahanadi river. The link canal would irrigate 1,00,000 hectares in Nayagarh, Khurda, and Ganjam districts.

Power generation - The project also envisions annual power generation of more than 373.30 megawatt. The RBM activists say the State government has also committed in the State Assembly to take forward the Mahanadi-Rushikulya river linking plan.