ROURKELA: The BJP on Thursday accused the ruling BJD of deliberately delaying construction of second Brahmani bridge of NHAI at Rourkela and not giving land clearance to the contract firm to start work from Dandiapali side of Brahmani river.
Speaking to media persons, Panposh organisational district president of BJP JB Behera and State executive members Nihar Ray and Pramila Das blamed the State Government and Sundargarh district administration for the delay. Leading the attack, Nihar claimed that compensation amount was deposited with the office of Rourkela ADM seven months ago, but no urgency was shown to acquire private land at Dandiapali of Lathikata block for the approach road.
The city administration failed to take the protesting villagers of Dandiapali into confidence and it has become clear that the BJD Government does not want to start the work before the 2019 election, he added.
Former Rourkela BJP MLA Dilip Ray on November 30 had quit the party and resigned from Odisha Assembly resenting the delay in bridge project despite the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2015. Indirectly taunting Dilip, Nihar asked why the people, who were raising a hue and cry over the delay, are silent on lack of the administrative sincerity in land acquisition.
BJP’s attack came after the administration on Sunday and Monday unsuccessfully tried to start work from Dandiapali side. According to sources, of the 17 affected families of Dandiapali, four had already taken the compensation amount while rest 13 families have filed an arbitration case with the administration seeking higher compensation. The disposal of the case is scheduled for January 4. Incidentally, till acquisition of private land, the administration wants to start work on alienated Government land at Dandiapali, but the protestors are not allowing passage through their land.
NHAI sources said they were waiting for the outcome of the arbitration case. With the personal intervention of Sundargarh Collector, they hoped for an amicable settlement of Dandiapali land dispute soon.