SAMBALPUR: Protesting the delay in according district status to Padampur, residents of the sub-division in Bargarh defaced the signboard of the sub-collector’s office on Monday.
The agitators under the banner of ‘Jay Kisan Andolan’, a farmers’ outfit, erased the ‘sub’ from the signboard in a bid to rename the building as the collector’s office.
In December 2022, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced to accord district status to the sub-division by 2023. However, the promise is yet to be fulfilled.
Convener of the outfit Ashok Sahu said locals have been demanding district status for Padampur since long. Though the demand has been raised several times in the last one year, the chief minister has failed to keep his promise.
“District status for Padampur is essential for development of the region. Apart from improvement in health and education sectors, there are some long-standing problems like lack of irrigation facilities and proper supply of electricity in the area. Instead of declaring Padampur a separate district, the government has appointed an additional district magistrate (ADM) for the sub-division in a bid to pacify the local people,” claimed Sahu.
The appointment of an ADM cannot solve the problems of the area. The government should fulfil its promise and give district status to Padampur at the earliest, he added.
The demand for district status to the sub-division gained momentum during the Padampur by-election in 2022. Locals had threatened to boycott the polls and even observed several bandhs over the demand.
To quell the protests, senior leaders of the ruling BJD held discussions with the agitators and assured to consider their demand.
Subsequently, the chief minister made the announcement during his visit to Bargarh for Padampur by-poll.
An agitator said, “We were forced to launch the protest today as the chief minister failed to keep his promise. We will also oppose the upcoming joint grievance meeting of the Bargarh district administration scheduled to be held at Padampur on January 8.”