There is a strong resentment among the people of Keonjhar after the spread of the news that overlooking the guidelines of the Supreme Court, the State Government has taken a loan from the Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC) for which only Rs 94 crore out Rs 18,000 crore is left with it.
The OMBADC which is said to be a gift of the Supreme Court to the mining affected people, which was created on December 31, 2014 by the State Government with the objective of local development and tribal welfare for ensuing inclusive growth and environmental upgradation of the mineral bearing districts of Odisha.
Accordingly after the corporation was constituted, it was natural for the people of Keonjhar to hope that there would be improved infrastructure in the district facilitating livelihood enhancement, boosting human development index and reduction of income disparity. Moreover, the Supreme Court appointed Justice Anang Kumar Patnaik as the Oversight Authority to see whether the robust fund of the OMBADC is being property utilitized or not.Former Wing Commander Engineer Kiran Sahu who is also the president of Keonjhar Civil Society Forum said that the people of Keonjhar district which had contributed the largest amount to the OMBADC had been deceived the most by the OMBADC board at the State level under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary of the State.
Sahu said as per the guidelines of the SC, it is the duty of State Government to open one OMBADC cell at district level but there is no OMBADC cell in Keonjhar although similar cell is working in neighboring Mayurbhanj district. Secondly , people of Keonjhar are leading a miserable life for non- implementation of many major vital projects. There is no railway link between Joda and Barbil and no flyovers at mining town of Barbil and Joda.
Besides there is no facility for training of heavy vehicles operators, while there is traffic problem due to haphazard construction work of NH- 520.
In this regard , the forum has written many letters to the Oversight Authority on many occasions suggesting ways and means to come to the rescue of the mining affected people but they all have been unheard of. Rather Justice Patnaik fulfilled his obligation to the State Government which has nominated his name for the post ignoring the interest of the mining affected people, told Sahu.
However, PCC president Niranjan Patnaik told that the BJD and BJP have joined hands mutually to overlook the interest of the mining affected people and the Congress would raise the issues at different forums so that affected people are not deprived of their dues.
Similarly, District Congress president Mohan Parida told that the Congress would take to streets over the issue and if required, file a case in the Supreme Court to give justice to the Keonjhar people.