The delegates asserted that even after 18 years of its creation as a new district, carved out of undivided Koraput district on October 2, 1992, by the then Chief Minister Biju Patnaik, state apathy still rules the roost over the undivided Koraput.
THE DELEGATES of District Journalist’s Action Committee (DJAC) met the Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik and drew his attention to the utter neglect of the tribal-dominated Nabrangpur district and demanded its overall development. In the meeting and discussions held at the office of the chief minister, those who were present included Basant Rath, Banka Bihari Bissoy, Gouri Sankar Tripathy, Nikunja Patnaik, Jeetendra Kanungo, Ramesh Majhi. The meeting also included Nabarangpur MLA Manohar Randhari, Film Development Corporation, Chairman, Muna Khan.
The delegates asserted that even after 18 years of its creation as a new district, carved out of undivided Koraput district on October 2, 1992, by the then Chief Minister Biju Patnaik, state apathy still rules the roost over the undivided Koraput district that had been crafted out of Visakhapatnam and annexed to Utkal Pradesh.
They asserted that the district has remained most backward in the field of female literacy with the literacy rate standing at mere 15 percent and female literacy in higher education has fallen to 5 percent with more than 73 percent of total population below poverty line and the poor parents are incapable of meeting their Childs education expenses in the colleges. This year near about 4000 HSC passed out students (SC,ST, & OBC) were deprived of higher education due to non-available seats and lack of technical educations in the colleges of this district, for which resentment among the students is growing.
Besides, increasing the seats in the colleges of district, the DJAC demanded setting up of a Government College and Polytechnic College at Nabarangpur and Umerkote, A.N.M and G.A.N.M training centres, a B.Ed college, and a full-fledged DIET, with I.T.I in each block.
The delegation also informed the CM that due to the dearth of specialists at District Headquarters Hospital, (DHH),CHCs and PHCs, most of the tribals in the remote area mainly depend on quacks and those who sell indigenous medicines.
The team demanded sufficient doctors with specialists should be posted and atleast a medical college or a high-tech medical college to be established in the undivided Koraput district i.e. Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Malkangiri, and Koraput. It is pertinent that this area does not have a good hospital and the health care centres languish due to absence of doctors or non-fulfillment of vacancies due to the poor medical services in the area the main reason behind high mortality rate among tribals.
The team of journalists also said that most of the people depended on health care services and hospitals in nighbouring Andhra Pradesh, consequent to this the neighbouring states earned hundreds crores per year from the patients of undivided Koraput.
The agricultural sector has been neglected with most of the posts lying vacant in the department. Despite being one of the largest maize and sugarcane growing districts in the state, a maize processing unit and sugar factory are yet to be set up while the farmers are deprived of adequate irrigation facalities.
There farmers need to be imparted training and a soil testing unit to be setup. One cold storage in each block supported by proper market yards is also the need of the hour. The Turi-Guntat, Tel, Lower Bhaskal, irrigation project and more lift irrigation points should also be taken up, demanded the delegation.
Despite being Asia’s biggest hydro-electric project the adjoining villages of the Upper Indravati Hydro Electrical project side are still awaiting electrification let alone the remote pockets, they also complained.
Normally in hydro-electricity projects, the water flowing through the powerhouse is re-diverted to the main river, so that river remains alive. But in the case of Upper Indravati Project the vast and deep reservoir is being created to divert the entire water through tunnel to the Powerhouse, so that the trail water is diverted to Hati river for irrigation purpose is in Kalahandi district instead. Thus the Upper Indravati proves to be a boon to Kalahandi and great curse to the host district drying up the rivers and greatly hampering the cultivation and agricultural production here, the Chief Minister was told.
The DJAC has sought justice from the State by diverting some water of the dam-reservoir to the Lower Indravati and save the hapless farmers there. Moreover, though built at the cost of the neglected district here, no amount of the revenue generated by the project is being utlised for the peripheral development, the journalists asserted.
The development of eco-friendly industrialisation and tourism still remains a distant dream. In an age of space-crafts where globe-trotting has become a day-to-day affair elsewhere, the people of the area are yet to board a train. The rail connection can be developed from Kesinga to Jeypore via Nabarangpur, Titlagada junction to (Chhattisgharh), via Chandahandi, Umerkote, Nabarangpur, to Jeypore, and Dhamtari (Chhattisgharh) to Jeypore via Umerkote and Nabarangpur and an alternative direct access to Gopalpur and Visikhapatnam ports from Raipur and other mining regions in adjacent Chhattisgarh.
Tourism is considered as the fastest growing industry and government should work on developing the industry in the area, the area scribes demanded. Nabarangpur, the part of undivided Koraput is rightly called as paradise unexplored, though endowed with immense natural wealth, unique cultural heritage, magical beauty and bewildering diversity. However the state government is yet to wake up to its enormous tourism prospects and tap them in a sustainable manner.
The government must tap the enormous tourism prospect in a sustainable manner. Though there are many places in the district which could be designated as natural and cultural heritage sites, the Government has neither initiated any action either to protect or popularise the sites for tourism nor wide spread dissemination of information is being initiated.
The historic places like Podagada, Jagannathpur are of religious significance like Papadahandi, Kelia, Parua, Chatahandi, Ghumar, Garbharai, Chandandhara, can be developed and create extensive self-employment through trade, commerce and hospitality industry, it was stated.
Besides, a comprehensive network of roads communication including extension and creation of new state high ways and national high-ways be undertaken.
In addition, sports institutes and hostels, especially for the tribal youth of this district need to be established. The rapid deforestation in the district has gravely affected the common man and lack of alternative fuel system has aggravated the situation.
Moreover, the supply of cooking gas in the district is meager while the black marketers of cooking gas and Kerosene are raking in moolah. The DJAC has therefore urged the CM, to allot more cooking gas agencies and save the remaining forest coverage.
The delegation also stated that the rate of urbanisation has actually diminished the cultivable land area and devastated the eco-system. This needs to be checked and saved before time runs out. This district has great potential for biotechnology, especially for agricultural biotechnology, herbal biotechnology and medicinal bio technology. The government should encourage industrial houses to establish industries in this backward region by granting a special tax benefit for the desirous industrialists to establish small and medium industries.
The government should also take necessary steps to establish a district judge court and family court at Nabarangpur. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) courts at Dabugam and Kodinga and also a bench of Highcourt, the delegation demanded.
After 1980, no survey and settlement operation has been carried out in the district, said the delegation, more than 80,000 persons spread over more than 500 villages situated mainly on hill-tops in the deep forest in the district are leading a very pathetic life due to delay in survey and settlement. Near about 300 villages are identified but not recognised as revenue village by the government. The tribals are thus not being covered by any of the anti-poverty schemes, alleged the delegation. Hence it is indispensable for the benefit of the tribals of this district, that the government should direct for survey and settlement operation in the district.
Lastly sight of traffic jams are routine in Nabarangpur town, crammed streets, lack of parking space increasing number of heavy vehicles on the NH 201 (Boriguma to Barghar road) passing through the area street junctions have turned into potential danger stops. The delegation has asked the government to construct a by-pass road at Nabarangpur from Dibhata to Majhiguda.
The DJAC had submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister through the Collector, Sibabrata Dash on December 21 and also convened a coordination meeting on January 2nd and January 8. It had invited Science and IT Minister, Ramesh Chandra Majhi; MP, Pradeep Majhi; MLAs, Monohar Randhari, Bhujabala Majhi, Jagabandhu Majhi; ZP President, Bhagirathi Nayak; OFDC, Chairman, Munna Khan; Bhudan Jagya Samiti; Chairman, Jayadev Parida; Collector, Sibabrata Dash, and SP, Niti Kumar.
