State Government to invest Rs. 50 cr to rejuvenate Sukapaika

Bhubaneswar: The government of Odisha has decided to rejuvenate the Sukapaika, also known as the Dead river in the Mahanadi delta region in Cuttack district following an order from the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The decision was taken in a recent meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra and attended by senior officials of the state water resources department.

The chief secy directed the water resources department to float a tender and engage an agency for the renovation of the river channel. A target of 18 months has been set to complete the renovation.

It is decided to construct four bridges connecting village roads from both sides of the channel. The estimated cost to rejuvenate the channel would be around Rs 50 crore, which has also been approved by the government.

State water resources secretary Anu Garg said the Sukapaika channel originates from Mahanadi’s right embankment near Ayatpur village. After traversing about 31 km across 21-gram panchayats in Cuttack district, the channel again merges with the Mahanadi at Bankala.