BERHAMPUR: Thirteen years on, the proposal to merge sub-urban areas and periphery panchayats with the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) area is still waiting to see the light of day. Despite staying close to the city, residents of 18 adjacent panchayats complain of being treated as second-class citizens and deprived of public utility services for jurisdiction issues.
In 2008, when BeMC was accorded corporation status, it was decided to merge 18 gram panchayats with it to meet the population criteria. Major localities under adjacent Lochapada, Nimakhandi, Bhabinpur, Haldiapadar, Jagdalpur, Golabandh, Badakusahasthali, Lathi, Dakhinpur, Satakutuni, Gounja, Khajuria and Badakushasthali gram panchayats expressed their desire for merger and passed resolutions in the connection but no action has been taken yet.
Despite staying so close to the city, these areas are deprived of basic amenities like clean drinking water, proper roads, healthcare facilities, street lights and drainage system. Government offices including police stations and tehsil offices in the vicinity are also off limits for them as they don’t fall under BeMC jurisdiction and they have to travel around 14 kms to avail related services.
Fed up of administration apathy, aggrieved residents formed the Sahara Tali Anchal Milita Kriyanusthan Committee (STAMKAC) which is fighting for the cause for 13 years now. In August this year, the body, under the leadership of president Sanjiba Patnaik, met concerned authorities in Bhubaneswar and urged to complete the merger process before the local body elections due in a few months. Local MLA Bikram Panda said the merger is under active consideration.