A public hearing over finalisation of a Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) for establishment of greater Rourkela was called off here on Saturday after protest of hundreds of tribals under the banner of Sundargarh Zilla Mulabasi and Adivasi Banchao Sangha (SZMABS).
Biramitrapur MlA George Tirkey led the protesters, who staged a protest in front of Rourkela Development Authority office, following which tension prevailed on the spot and police deployed three platoon forces. Sources said for giving shape of the proposed project of greater Rourkela, Rourkela Development Authority(RDA) secretary had served a notice on January 14 last inviting the general public of Rourkela and its periphery villages to submit their objections/suggestions if any, before the RDA authority. Responding to the notification, as many as 180 applications were received from different sections of public. Accordingly, Rourkela ADM Manisha Banerjee, who is also functioning as secretary of RDA, had called a meeting on July 30, inviting all 180 people to express their view on the subject.
As per the schedule of the meeting, the process had begun on Saturday with recording of statements of the persons, who had expressed their willingness to give their objections/suggestions. In the mean time, hundreds of tribals led by Biramitrapur MlA George Tirkey, under the banner of SZMABA stormed in to RDA office and protested the proceedings of the meeting. The protesters claimed that Sundargarh being a scheduled district, the gram sabha needs to be convened as per the provisions of PESA act.
“We have been protesting inclusion of various outskirts areas of the city in the proposed Municipal Corporation and therefore the Government should obtain the opinion through gram sabha over it,” said MlA Tirkey.
