Admitting a petition of the Bhartiya Bikash Parishad, the Orissa High Court has issued notice to the State Government over the parishad’s demand for announcing three NACs in Ganjam district, Aska, Bhanjanagar and Chhatrapur, as municipalities.
A Bench of Justices Kumari Sanju Panda and Pramath Patnaik issued the notice after conducting a hearing on the petition filed by Parishad president Surendra Panigrahi on Tuesday.
The Bench fixed June 25 the next date of hearing on the petition.
The petitioner had mentioned that each of the NACs has a population required for formation of a municipality as per Census 2011. He too apprised that the NACs have all other importance to become municipalities. While Bhanjanagar, erstwhile Ghumusar, is as place of historical significance, Aska is the industrial hub of the district. Chhatrapur bears importance as the headquarters of Ganjam where Collectorate, RTO and SP office and several other district level offices are functioning right from British days.
Earlier, the Parishad had submitted memorandum to the Government seeking early accordance of municipality status to the three NACs taking adjoining villagers and making provisions of all basic amenities for the residents. As the Government didn’t respond, the Parishad approached the SP on June 3, 2019.
The Chief Secretary, Urban Development Secretary, RDC (Southern Division), district Collector, Sub-Collectors of Chhatrpur and Bhanjanagar and Executive Officers of the three NACs have been made opposite parties.