Irate locals gherao MLA, officials in Kalahandi

The Pioneer,Nov 7,2007

Bikash Khemka | Bhawanipatna

...demand bridge over Hati river

Fed up with their failure to construct an over bridge on Hati river since last couple of years, the people of Kalampur block in Kalahandi district at last took a big step to fulfil their demand.

Thousands of people of Kalampur block led by Vikas Manch on Monday took out a huge procession from Regulated Marketing Committee of Mukhiguda and staged a mass dharna near Mangalpur Barrage and organised a public meeting demanding construction of over bridge of 150 meters from Kalampur to Mandal Rural Development road over Hati river.

Kalampur block has been divided into two parts by Hati river. There are two RD roads crossing the river connecting to the sub-divisional and Panchayat Headquarters.

Seven Gram Panchayats have been affected due to the river's movement between the GPs of the block.

The surplus water is released from the Mangalpur Barrage to Hati river after commencement of power generation through Indravati power house resulting in communication problems for 68,000 people in the block.

Even after 60 years of independence, there is no bridge over the river. People therefore cross it by boats throughout the year, said locals.

In the meeting the details of the past attempts were publicly discussed by the Manch that tenders were invited four times between 2004 and 2006 for the construction of an over bridge and it was cancelled by the Government showing different reasons.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had laid a foundation stone at Karmel Ghat to construct an over bridge on February 7, 2004 in Kalampur block but the construction work is yet to be started.

After the meeting, the irate public gheraoed the Mangalpur barrage and shut down the gates despite deployment of police personnel.

The locals gheraoed the Junagarh MLA, the Zilla Parishad Chairman and Sub-Collector Jagannath Mohanty of Dharamgarh who was on Magistrate duty to fulfil their demand immediately. No one was arrested yet, though the public continued to confine them, police sources said.