Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Sunday inaugurated the integrated Janibili drinking water project in Ganjam district.
"The project will solve the nagging drinking water problem of Berhampur town," said the chief minister in his brief address.
Besides Berhampur, the Rs 490 crore project will supply water to 53 villages of Aska, Hinjili, Sheragada, Dharakote, Rangeilunda and Kukudakhandi blocks in Ganjam district, urban development minister Niranjan Pujari said.
Around 8.51 lakh population including 6.75 lakh in urban area would be benefitted by the project, Pujari said.
In the first phase, water supply would be made in five wards and partially in six wards of Berhampur Municipal Corporation area, officials said.
In the second phase to be completed by the end of this month, water will be supplied to 11 more wards. All the remaining wards of the Corporation would get water from the project in its third and fourth phases, officials said.
Ganjam district unit of BJP, however, protested the inauguration of the project, claiming that it was still incomplete.
Several BJP activists who were staging a demonstration at Gandhi Nagara area of the city tying black ribbons in their mouth ahead of the chief minister's visit were taken into custody by the police.
"We have released them after departure of the chief minister," said SP (Berhampur) Pinak Mishra.
The chief minister was also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for several other projects of the Corporation worth around Rs 42 crore during his visit.
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