Nimapara: Hundreds of local residents Thursday resented the pseudo development in Nimapara Notified Area Council (NAC) limits for the last 49 years, since its formation.
According to an official source, the NAC of Puri district was formed in 1973 and consisted of 11 wards.
Presently, it has a population of over 20,000 and covers an area of around 14.07 square kilometres.
Despite being located amidst the Golden Triangle – Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar – the local residents have been deprived of basic amenities such as drainage, electricity, road connectivity, healthcare, drinking water and other basic facilities.
Even as some of the development projects in Nimapara NAC await completion, some others remain unused due to apathetic attitude of the civic authorities, many residents alleged.
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Inadequate drainage renders them disconnected from rest parts of the district during rainy season, every year.
Localities like Andia Sahi, South Bhoi Sahi, Sibashakti Colony, New Colony, Sriram Nagar and Women’s College Road under ward No-9 and several more including Nayak Sahi and Purneswari Sahi under ward No-4 often get submerged in rainwater, thereby causing utter difficulties to local commuters.
“A children’s park was previously constructed at a cost of Rs 14 lakh near the Town Hall in ward No-4. However, it has been locked for past two years following cyclonic storm ‘Fani’,” the residents rued.
Many areas of the NAC such as ward No-1, 8, 9, 10 and 11 including Petaghai Road, New Rakari, Baghasahi Road and Melaka have been remaining in darkness for past few years as most of the utility poles have run down and service lines have become defunct.
In the absence of local haat, a number of vegetable vendors sit on roadsides with their makeshift shops near Dolabedi Square, Jayaguru Ashram Square and Jayashree Square and cause traffic snarls.
Moreover, the weekly haat does not have basic facilities like pindis, drinking water and drainage for vendors and farmers.
A crematorium is also not there in the NAC limits, the locals said.
On being contacted, executive officer of Nimapara NAC Satyaprakash Mishra said, “The Children’s Park near Town Hall in ward No-4 will be opened for public soon. Besides, steps will be taken to sort out the basic issues, in phases.”
PNN