Bargarh: The demand for district status to Padampur sub-division gathered steam with the ‘Kriyanushthan Committee’ organising a massive rally in the area today. According to sources, members of the outfit also staged a dharna and locals in large numbers participated in the protests. Several social outfits have also pledged their support to the district status demand.
“It is very unfortunate that despite fulfilling all the criteria laid out by the Das Commission, Padampur is yet to be declared a separate district,” member of the Kriyanushthan Committee, Ramratan Purohit said.
“The demand for district status is justified as Padampur sub division is a backward region and no developmental works are undertaken here,” he added.
Local residents alleged that the district administration has been neglecting the region as several villages and blocks are around 150-160 kms away from the district headquarters as a result government programmes are not reaching the people of Padampur.
The agitators threatened to intensify their protest if their demand is not taken into consideration at the earliest.
The outfit submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister through the sub-collector. “The demand for district status to Padmapur has been a long-standing one and the locals took out a rally and submitted a memorandum today,” sub-collector of Padampur, Daulat Chandrakar said.