Patnaik on Saturday laid Foundation-stones for bridges over the Pandel river and the Ang river, inaugurated a pipe water supply project to Balangir town from river Tel at the cost of Rs 55.36 crore and a newly constructed Mother and Child health Care unit at the District Headquarters Hospital here.
As many as 51 BJP activists and three Congress activists were detained by police before the meeting in apprehension of creating disturbances.
later addressing a huge meeting of party workers and public at the Kosal Kala Mandal, Patnaik said his Government believes in work and has all along strived for the betterment of people.
Among others, Titilagarh MlA Tukuni Sahu, loisingha MlA Jogendra Behera, Kantababji MlA Ayub Khan, Ministers Surjya Narayan Patro and
Niranjan Pujhari spoke on this occasion and recalled the efforts of Patnaik to ensure development of the people. Titilagarh MlA Sahu raised the issue of declaring Titilagarh as a district. BJP spokesperson Prabhas Panigrahi, however, criticised the district administration for detaining the BJP activists on Friday night and later inviting BJP leader KV Singh Deo to the meeting on Saturday. The BJP demanded an answer from Patnaik on a few points which include a dateline to complete the lower Suktel irrigation project, commencement of Khurdha- Balangir railway line work from Balangir side,construction of bypass road and establishment of a Circuit Bench ofthe Orissa High Court at Balangir.
On Friday evening, members of Balangir District Congress Committee led by Dilip Beheraand, Samarendra Mishra and others held a meeting in the town and demanded early completion of the lower Suktel project, revival of the defunct Bijayananda Sugar Mill at Deogaon, establishment of wagon factory at Kantababnji and an engineering college etc.
Earlier on the day members of Balangir Action Committee led by Premraj Sai staged a silent protest before the collectorate pressing for various demands.