Bandh demanding basic amenities disrupts normal life in Malkangiri

BERHAMPUR: Day to day life was completely disrupted in Malkangiri town and some parts of South Odisha on Tuesday due to a bandh call given by the ‘Malkangiri Zilla Surakshya Samity (MZSS)'. They had given this call for five demands and apathy of administrative officials towards these demands. President of MZSS, G.Srinivas Rao said they would hold a meeting on Tuesday night to decide about their next course of action.

This bandh call in Malkangiri town had its impact throughout Malkangiri district. No vehicles travelled between the district headquarters town and other places of the district. Trips of passenger buses from all parts of Malkangiri district to outside were also cancelled as they had to pass through Malkangiri town.

The bandh call was complete in Malkangiri town. All government and private establishments remained closed. Educational institutions and banks were also closed. Protestors picketed and blocked road at several points at Malkangiri town. This bandh call had the support of all organisations of Malkangiri town including the Committee of Concerned Citizens (CCC), local bar association, traders' association and political leaders, said Mr. Rao.

Members of MZSS also demonstrated in front of the office of the Malkangiri Collector on Monday for these five demands. Mr. Rao said they opted for the bandh call as the Collector did not show concern regarding their demands to hold discussions with them about their demands.

The demands are mostly related to basic amenities. They allege that most roads in Malkangiri town are in extreme dilapidated condition and need renovation. They also want end of continuing undeclared power cuts in their area. They alleged that piped drinking water supply system was yet to be streamlined in Malkangiri town and they demanded proper supply of drinking water in their area. The agitators also demanded speedy completion of renovation and widening work of Malkangiri-Kalimela road which according to them is being delayed by the construction company that has taken the contract.

The most important demand of the agitators is related to the settlement of land records of all rural and urban pockets of the district. Source: The Hindu

River valley development authority sought for southern Odisha

A river valley development authority was demanded at the conclave of technical experts and intellectuals held in Berhampur under the auspices of the Dakshin Odisha Vikash Parishad (DOVS) that has initiated a novel proposal for resolution of water issues in the southern part of the State. The conclave was inaugurated by Nakshyatramala Panigrahi and was attended by several experts, including engineers, legal experts and intellectuals from across the region.

The Dakshin Odisha Vikash Parishad programme coordinator Sankarsan Panigrahi placed a paper on water resources development plan in the southern part of the State stressing the need of its immediate implementation. Dakshin Odisha Vikash Parishad leader Dayanidhi Sahu delivered a keynote address on river valley development in southern Odisha and the serious emergency of water issues confronted by the people living in ten districts of the region. DOVP leader Dayanidhi Sahu also advocated for establishment of a special development board under Article 371 of the Indian Constitution as well as for a river basin development authority on the lines of the Tennesse River Development Authority of the United states of America (USA). Sahu, while pleading for establishment of such a board, also referred to the quotations of some eminent people like AN Khosla, a former Governor of Odisha, Viswasraya, KL Rao and Thirumal Ayanger.

The conclave demanded immediate construction of dams under Ghatakeswar and Cheligarh projects to address the drinking water problems of Berhampur city and the adjoining areas. It was also demanded that all the river valley projects, including dams on the rivers of Rushikulya, Badanadi and Loharkhandi in the southern region as well as the Manibhadra project on river Mahanadi be implemented on war footing.

Besides, KC Jena also stressed the need of hydropower generation from the water resources available in the southern part.

Moreover, a river network for inter-basin transfer of water on the demand-supply basis was also sought at the conclave which was presided over by Dakshin Odisha Vikash Parishad leader Dayanidhi Sahu.

Source:The Pioneer