Expressbuzz, Oct 26, 2009
NUAPADA: Thousands of people led by Kalahandi MP Bhakta Charan Das gheraoed Nuapada collectorate yesterday to press for their demands. The demands include declaration of Nuapada district as drought-hit, putting a stop to unscheduled power cuts, uninterrupted quality power supply to help operate LI points and small scale industries smoothly, expediting work on the proposed power grid, steps to prevent largescale corruption by government officials, land pattas to tribals in possession of land for generations, opening of paddy procurement centre in every gram panchayat and payment of Rs 500 over and above minimum support price of paddy to farmers.
Addressing a protest rally, Das accused the State Government of hijacking Central welfare schemes and adopting a lackadaisical attitude for their implementation. Alleging that the State Government is misleading people, Das said the tribals have constitutional rights over forest lands which are under their possession for generations. But the State Government has failed miserably to ensure land rights to tribals, he charged.
On the prevailing drought situation, he said people have been badly hit as agriculture is their main source of livelihood. The State Government should initiate steps to ensure that the situation is not repeated in rabi season, he said. He charged the State Government of underplaying the drought situation and said had the State Government taken steps much earlier, the situation would have been better.
Among others, Nuapada DCC president Bhanu Prakash Joshi and District Youth Congress president Saroj Kumar Sahu spoke.
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