BHUBANESWAR/MALKANGIRI: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today faced black flag demonstration from the BJP workers while addressing a public meeting at Malkangiri in which more than 20,000 people attended despite the bandh call given by Congress and BJP.
People were brought to the meeting place with police protection as Congress had erected road blockades at many places in the district. Congress workers shouted slogans at the meeting place denouncing the chief minister's delay in visiting the district where more than 100 children died due to Japanese Encephalitis.
Around 15 BJP workers were detained for showing black flags to the chief minister at the meeting place.
The chief minister did not visit any village affected by Japanese Encephalitis during the visit to the district. He, however, reviewed the situation at a meeting attended by the district collector, chief district medical officer and senior officials.
Addressing the public meeting, the chief minister sympathised with the families who lost their children due to Japanese Encephalitis and announced compensation of Rs 3 lakh for each of them. He also announced that each of the bereaved family will be provided with a pucca ghar.
The chief minister said that the state government will make alternative arrangements for families who depended on pigs for their livelihood.
Stating that the Odisha government's aim is to make Malkangiri district a model of development, the chief minister said work on four mega lift irrigation schemes is going on. Work on eight more mega lift irrigation projects will be started soon, he said.
He said two irrigation projects are being planned on Saptadhara and Garia rivers.
When completed these projects will create an irrigation potential of 37000 hectares for the district, he said and added that the Gurupriya bridge will be completed by June 2017.
The chief minister said steps have been initiated by the state government to make Malkangiri a developed district in Odisha. Construction of seven model schools have already been completed, he said and added that teaching in four of them has already been started. Steps are being taken to construct bridges on Saptadhara and Saberi rivers, he said.
He also called upon left wing extremists (LWEs) to give up violence and join the mainstream of society. Violence has no place in a democracy, he said.