Chhatrapur: The High Court had directed the Housing and Urban Development department to announce Chhatrapur, Bhanjanagar and Aska Notified Area Councils (NACs) in Ganjam district as municipalities three years ago, but the order has not been executed till date. This has caused growing resentment among residents in these civic bodies, a report said. While the Covid-19 pandemic continued for two years after the High Court order, on the other hand, civic body elections in the state had been postponed for four years and were held last year. It was alleged that residents of the three civic bodies have been suffering due to lack of some basic facilities. Had these NACs been declared as municipalities, the residents would be availing more amenities than those available in the NACs, locals observed. As compared to the 2011 census, meanwhile, population in the three NACs has exceeded its stipulated limits, making them eligible for municipality status.
Citing the increase in the population, Surendra Panigrahi, the president of Bharatiya Bikash Parishad, had filed a PIL at the High Court, seeking municipality status to the three NACs. Hearing the case, the HC had directed the Housing and Urban Development Secretary and the Ganjam Collector to take steps in this regard and sought a report. “The Ganajm Collector had even sent a proposal to the state government to accord municipality status to the three civic bodies. Then Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange had also informed media persons about it. The High Court order should be executed,” Panigrahi said. Berhampur MP Chandra Sekhar Sahu had even told media persons during his visit to Chhatrapur that the government will take the decision in this regard very soon, but nothing has happened so far, it was alleged.
In civic body elections, the post of chairperson in the Chhatrapur NAC went to the BJP’s kitty. Some political observers dubbed it as a defeat of the BJD due to public resentment. The population in each civic body has surpassed 25,000, it is claimed. Notably, Chhatrapur Nagarika Committee and Chhatrapur Bar Association have been demanding for municipality status to the Chhatrapur NAC.