Bounties shower on neglected Bijepur

BARPALI (BIJEPUR):The death of Congress MLA Subal Sahu seems to have changed the fortune of Bijepur. After being neglected for years together, the area is suddenly witnessing a series of development activities.

Keeping an eye on the by-poll to Bijepur Assembly segment, necessitated by the death of Sahu, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday announced a lift canal system worth `1,250 crore, purported to be the first of its kind with underground pipeline-based irrigation system, for the drought-prone area.
Similarly, Labour and Employment Minister Sushanta Singh launched the process to revive and renovate Damdar Kata, a traditional water harvest structure (TWHS), which will be taken up at a cost of `2.81 crore. The TWHS was dug up way back in 1818 and spreads over 165 acres.

Moreover, an Aahar Kendra, the subsidised food canteen, was opened on Bijepur CHC premises while the CM also laid foundation stone for a railway overbridge in Barpali town on the road leading to Binka in Sonepur at an estimated cost of `31 crore.

This apart, foundation stones have been laid for development and strengthening of Barpali-Bijepur via Agalpur road and Main Canal Road at an estimated cost of `9 crore and `5 crore respectively. As many as 2,000 solar lights will also be provided to the region from the MP LAD of Bargarh MP Pravash Singh.

While the long pending demands are being addressed, people of Bijepur are happy about it. Locals said these demands were being neglected as they had elected Sahu from the segment. Had Bijepur elected a BJD MLA, some of these demands would have been addressed by now, they said.