The demand for inclusion of 18 gram panchayats in the Brahmapur Municipal Corporation (BMC) mounted on Friday as hundreds of villagers staged a rally here to press for the demand.
The rally held under guidance of the Pragatisheel Utkal Samaj assumes significance in view of the upcoming BMC election, viewed many.
The rally moved throughout the city from Hill Patna Ganesh Mandir to the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) (Southern Division) office where villagers staged a protest meeting.
People belonging to Braja Nagar, Sakti Nagar, Kharavel Nagar, Govind Vihar, Ramkrushna Nagar, Alkapuri, Nimakhandi, Luchapada and Bhabinipur participated. Later, a representative team submitted a memorandum to the RDC.
“Even as the BMC was formed in 2008, as many as 18 gram panchayats located adjacent to the city on all sides have not yet been included in the corporation yet. Resultantly, these villagers have been deprived of developmental activities,” the memorandum read.
Basic facilities like pucca roads, drainage systems, electricity connectivity and drinking water supply are now a dream in these areas, said the villagers.
“The Governmnet should make a model plan involving adjacent areas and implement the proposed greater Brahmapur plan at the earliest. If it is done, ways would be clear for making Brahmapur a Smart City,” suggested the Utkal Samaj.
Among others, Samaj State secretary Saroj Ranjan Patnaik, lawyers KK Behera, Krushna Charan Pataik, Shiva Prasad Mishra, Padma Charan Das, Aditya Patnaik, Lingaraj Mishra, Pramod Kumar Panda, Santosh Patro, Sudhir Nayak, BV Sagar participated.