Odisha: Bridge boon for netas contesting in ‘cut-off’ area

KORAPUT

: Come elections and the Maoist-dominated swabhiman area in Malkangiri district — earlier known as the

cut-off

area or bichhinnanchala — would give anxious moments to both the administration and the residents. Surrounded by the Balimela reservoir on three sides and Andhra Pradesh on the fourth, the rebels had virtually converted the bichhinnanchala into a liberated zone, cutting it off from governance and the rest of the world.


But this year’s elections will be different for the area. The government finally bridged the gap between the area and the mainland, which had existed since the mid-Sixties when the Balimela hydel project was commissioned, by building the Gurupriya bridge. Constructed over the Gurupriya river, it was inaugurated on July 26, 2018. On the same day, chief minister Naveen Patnaik gave the ‘bichhinaanchala’ (cut-off area) its new moniker of swabhimananchala. Not only has the 910-meter-long bridge solved the connectivity problem to a great extent, it has facilitated security forces’ and political leaders’ movement in the area. For the first time in a long time, netas have started campaigning in the swabhiman area. “All efforts are being done to instil a sense of confidence among the residents of the swabhiman area to ensure that they vote without fear,” said SP (Malkangiri) Jagmohan Meena.

More than 20,000 residents of the swabhiman area, who are perhaps for the first time seeing electioneering in the area, are hopeful that more development activities would come in the wake of the Gurupriya bridge. “Electioneering has always been a dull affair in our area but things are different this time. The political atmosphere is charged and leaders are making a beeline for the area. People are eager to cast votes on April 11,” said Chakra Khillo, a Badpada resident.

“We are very excited about this election but the fear of Maoists prevails. Even though police are there, anything can happen,” said a resident of Sindhiput, on the condition of anonymity. Damu Golari of Bidarpakhna village added, “For the first time, we are feeling the election buzz here in the swabhiman area.”

Police have erected three security camps — one each at Badapada, Jantapai and Kunturpadar — in the swabhiman area for counter-insurgency operations. Comprising 151 villages under seven panchayats, the swabhiman area is part of the

Chitrakonda

assembly segment. The administration has designated 21 polling booths for its nearly 8,000 voters. The seat will vote on April 11.

With the polling date drawing closer, political parties have also started campaigning in the swabhiman area. “Recently, I visited several villages there. I plan to visit more for electioneering in the days to come,” said Pradeep Majhi, the Congress’s candidate for the Nabarangpur

Lok Sabha

seat, under which the Chitrakonda assembly seat falls. Similarly, BJD’s candidate for the assembly seat, Purna Chandra Baka, said, “I will definitely campaign in the swabhiman area as connectivity is no more a problem.”

Owing to the remoteness of the area and the fear of being attacked by Maoists, security personnel and government officials would be air-dropped at the polling stations in earlier elections. At least nine of the 21 polling booths in the swabhiman area have been identified as ‘completely inaccessible’. “The polling staff for these booths might be air-dropped again,” said Rameswar Pradhan, the sub-collector of Malkangiri.

The Maoists have called for a poll boycott in Malkangiri district and have put up posters in several areas of the district. DIG (south-western range) Himanshu Lal said, “Though the situation is under control at present, we can’t be complacent given the Maoists’ influence in the area. The developments are being closely monitored and we are committed to a violence-free election.”