BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Bar Association on Saturday intensified its call for grant of full revenue district status to the state capital, citing that the city’s rapid growth, administrative importance and long-pending recommendations made the demand both logical and overdue.
The matter was discussed during a meeting of the Bhubaneswar Bar Association during which the difficulties faced by the residents and legal practitioners were highlighted.
Association president Ashok Chhotray said currently part of Khurda, citizens have to travel to the district headquarters for many revenue and administrative matters even though a bulk of the state government offices, the municipal corporation and major courts function from the capital city.
“When Khurda district was created in 1993, the city’s population was way smaller than what it is today. However at present, its population has exceeded that of several districts in the state. Capital cities across the country are generally treated as separate revenue districts for better administrative and political recognition, a precedent Odisha should follow,” he noted.
Bar Association secretary Suman Routray said they demand revenue district status to the state capital so as to bring the administrative and judiciary services closer to the people. “Citizens looking for legal services have to visit Khurda as CJM court functions three days each in district headquarters and Bhubaneswar,” he said.
Veteran Congress leader Suresh Kumar Routray, who attended the meeting, said political leaders cutting across party lines should come together to ensure Bhubaneswar is accorded the revenue district status.
“The new district should comprise Balipatna, Balianta and Jatni,” he demanded.
Among others, MLAs Babu Singh and Ananta Narayan Jena, former MLAs Ashok Panda, Arabinda Dhali and Priyadarshi Mishra, and senior advocates Manas Mohapatra and Ananta Patnaik, besides sitting and ex-corporators, civic groups, puja committees and residents’ organisations attended the meeting.
So far, the Odisha government has stated that further reorganisation of the existing districts was being examined as per the established norms.
