Bisamkatak: In a bid to boost tourism, both the Odisha and the central governments jointly initiated a project to build cottages at the base of Niyamgiri hills in Rayagada district.
However, the project is yet to take off due to administrative apathy and local opposition. According to reports, Rs 1 crore has been allocated for the project. Construction of cottages has been assigned to the Forest department.
The project is being developed to attract tourists so that they enjoy the natural environment of Niyamgiri hills and get to know about the traditions, customs, and culture of Dongria Kondh tribals living in the region.
Two years have passed since the project was launched, but it has failed to make much headway. The reports said the fund was initially allocated to Dongria Kondh Development Agency (DKDA).
But the DKDA management has been suffering from staff crunch. The fund was then transferred to Gunupur Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), which drew up the design of the cottage project.
Thereafter, the fund and the design were handed over to the Forest department. It has been planned to build three cottages in the same traditional manner they are constructed by the Dongria Kondh tribals.
Bamboo and wooden works reflecting the culture and lifestyle of the primitive tribals were included in the construction design. Designs for the rooms, entry points and parking lot were also finalised.
Later, two acres of land was identified near Khajurigaon on the foothill of Niyamgiri to build the cottages. The Forest department started the groundwork, but some local people opposed the project. They said that the locals will have to be employed in the project.
As they did not succeed, they tried to mislead Dongria Kondhs. They started a whisper campaign stating that the Forest department will impose restrictions on farming on forest land and sale of minor forest produce.
This sparked resentment among the tribals against officials of the Forest department. The DFO had written a letter to the district Collector for a new patch of land. However, nothing much has happened on identifying the land.
As per project guidelines, the management of cottages will be assigned to Gaon Kalyan Samitis in registered villages of the Niyamgiri region. In view of this, the project has good scope of providing livelihood for Dongria tribals.
However, the district administration has been apathetic in this matter, alleged Gopal Pattnaik, president of Bisamkatak Bikash Parishad.
Local intellectuals like Rabindra Panda, D Shibaprasad, member of State Khadi and Gramodyog Board Pruthiraj Sahu, lawyer Dillip Kumar Pattnaik and some locals said that proper steps need to be taken for the project to make headway.
When contacted, Padmacharan Ghana, AE of ITDA, said that the post of PA is lying vacant. The tender process will be started only after a new PA is appointed. Then the land for the project will be identified, informed Ghana.
PNN