KOIDA (SUNDARGARH) : Mineral transportation in Koida block of Sundargarh district came to a standstill on Wednesday after political leaders cutting across party lines joined local residents to launch an indefinite strike and blockade over poor condition of roads. The demands of the protestors included immediate repair of two important Public Works Department (PWD) roads used by mineral carrying vehicles. With no semblance of blacktopping, the dusty roads are making life miserable for residents as incessant movement of heavy transport vehicles is leading to dust pollution in the area. These apart, National Highway (NH) 520 and all State Government roads in Koida Mining Circle (KMC) are also in poor shape.
Sources said all shops at Koida block headquarters town voluntarily downed their shutters while banks and Government offices were closed by protestors. The agitators also forced a complete disruption in mineral transportation. CPM leader Pravat Panda said as an immediate relief, the residents want the district administration and State Government to take up construction of the two PWD roads from Koida to Tensa and Arian Mines area to Rengalbeda.
BJD leader and former Bonai MLA Bhimsen Choudhury said locals have been suffering due to bad condition of roads and the strike would continue till PWD takes up repair works. Mines owners are contributing huge money to the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) and the funds should be utilised for betterment of local villagers and commuters, he added. Koida BDO and Tehsildar besides the PWD Junior Engineer tried to pacify the agitators without success.
Rourkela-based PWD Executive Engineer Bijay Pati said tender has been finalised at `12 crore for four-laning of Koida main road and the contract agency has started pre-construction activities. For the 15 km stretch of Koida-Kaleiposh road, tender has been finalised at `47 crore and the work will start soon, he said.Pati further informed that tender has been floated for the 14 km stretch of Tensa-Kaleiposh road. All these road projects are getting funds from the DMF, he said and appealed to the agitators to call of their strike.As per reports, tenders were recently finalised by NHAI for two packages of four-laning NH 520 from Rimuli to Rajamunda covering Koida.
Koida Deputy Director of Mines Salil Behera said around 75,000-80,000 tonnes of minerals are transported through 5,000-6,000 trucks every day. The mines owners have been instructed to sprinkle water on dusty roads on a regular basis, he added. Among others, BJD’s Koida B Zilla Parishad member Smitarani Naik, former Congress MLA of Bonai Janardan Dehuri, BJP leader Chetan Naik and Koida Sarpanch Sandhayarani Naik led the protests.