Athagarh: The state government’s plan to merge 71 villages under Athagarh sub-division and block with Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) has created resentment among the residents, a report said.
Peeved over the development, the residents have called for Athagarh bandh April 28.
The matter came to the fore after Athagarh Surakshya Manch, an outfit of the residents, opposed the move at a press meet held here, Tuesday. Addressing the meeting, lawyer and manch president Phani Bhushan Rath came down heavily on the local MLA-cum-minister for the anti-people move.
Reports said that a decision to merge the villages was taken at a cabinet meeting and a notification to this effect was published March 31. However, the residents were not informed before the decision was taken.
Opposing the move, residents lodged complaints in various forums and demanded immediate rollback of the decision.
Rath said April 30 has been fixed as the deadline for submission of suggestions and grievances but how can people file their grievances within this short span of time. He alleged that the state government has deliberately kept the local people in dark on its move.
He said that those 71 villages which the state government has planned to merge with CDA are in Khuntuni and Gurudijhatia areas. However, in the government notification, the information has been manipulated to show them as under Choudwar police station, which is far from these locals.
He said that the residents will not tolerate such move and have called for a 12-hour Athagarh bandh April 28. He requested all to cooperate for the bandh irrespective of political affiliations.
Among others, outfit secretary Jagadananda Tripathy, advisor Narayan Panda and advocate Shakarshan Mohanty attended the press meet.