ROURKELA: Newly-elected BJP MLA Durga Charan Tanty handed over a memorandum to Panchayatiraj Minister Rabi Naik on Monday, seeking the inclusion of certain human settlements in the RN Pali assembly constituency under Gram Panchayat (GP) jurisdiction.
The settlements of Tumkela, Luakera, Hamirpur, and various small slums of South Rourkela are technically located within the Rourkela Industrial Township (RIT), under the territorial jurisdiction of the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) of SAIL.
However, these areas are considered ‘no man’s land’ as they do not fall under the administration of the Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) or any GP, leaving them deprived of basic amenities.
Tanty said in 2023, residents of Hamirpur demanded the creation of an independent GP during a public grievance meeting of the Sundargarh district administration. He noted that these areas lack essential services such as health, education, drinking water, roads, drainage, and street lighting.
Sources indicated that until recently, the majority of the population in these ‘no man’s land’ pockets were advocating for inclusion in the RMC. This follows the merger of seven small slums of South Rourkela with the RMC, with RSP’s consent, after an Orissa High Court judgment.
However, since 2023, different sections of the tribal population have started demanding GP administration.