KORAPUT: Announcing his decision to quit the party, former Koraput MP and BJP leader Jayaram Pangi said he has initiated a movement to demand new Union Territory (UT) status for areas under undivided Koraput and Kandhamal districts besides parts of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Speaking to mediapersons on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, Pangi said a Dandakarnya Parbatmal Bikash Parisad (DPBP) consisting of representatives from Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts, was formed on Monday. He was elected as President and former Koraput Collector Gadadhar Parida as secretary of the organisation which would pioneer the movement to demand UT status for the region.
The former legislator said, in his 44 year-long political career, he analysed that several government programmes and schemes were not executed properly which deprived tribal people of benefits.
Neither people nor the political representatives are exercising Constitutional rights. The Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 is yet to be implemented in the region, the voice of tribals are suppressed and the socio-cultural life of people in bordering AP and Chhattisgarh are similar.
Hence, DPBP has been formed to start this movement, he said, adding that border issues in Kotia, Gunupur and Polavaram would not remain if the UT would be formed. He further pointed out that UT status would foster area centric development.
Jeypore MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati said he will support the movement but did not agree with some agenda of the council. He claimed that development took place during Congress regime by setting up HAL and NALCO in the region.