In view of the poster war between the BJD and BJP ahead of the IOCl refinery inauguration, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been urged to promote realistic and alternative politics that promotes people centric development, including alternative energy, and limited expenses on propaganda.
The Water Initiatives Odisha (WIO), which has been working on water, environment and climate change issues in the State for more than two and a half decades now, has appealed to Patnaik and Modi to refrain from such colossal investments on poster and advertisement to create propaganda when there are many areas where the money could have been worth spending.
WIO convenor Ranjan Panda in an open letter to the Chief Minister of Odisha and Prime Minister resented the unworthy investment in propaganda and driving people in large numbers to the IOCl function venue at Paradip.
He instead suggested that the IOCl money should have been invested in their CSR initiatives for mangrove protection, wind energy and solar energy promotion, irrigation assurance to farmers, etc.
Besides, many IOCl retail outlets have poor facilities for customers such as sheds, drinking water and good toilets. They could have prioritized to invest in improving all these.
Similarly, if the political parties can save on the fuel and pollution from the vehicles that would drive lakhs of party workers to Paradip, that can be invested in better works like supporting the farmers in distress. “I am sure that would fetch more votes than showing strength before party leaders,” he said.
Panda further said that each street light pillar in Paradip now has posters of BJP or BJD or both. It would have been more beautiful had they invested the same amount of money in giving solar street lights, he opined.
Panda decried the ugly race to take credit for the refinery project by the two parties. He rubbished the claims of the parties to the establishment of the project and instead said the refinery has been done with tax payers’ money and local peoples’ sacrifice and contribution.
“If the refinery benefits the common people, they will definitely give credit to the Governments. And if the people feel the ‘dedication to nation’ ceremony is so important, people will definitely attend the function on their own. We hear that both BJP and BJD are driving lakhs of people from across the State to show their strength before their leaders. Is it really necessaryIJ” he asked.