Govt resumes launch services to cut-off areas of Chitrakonda

In a huge respite for people of the cut-off areas a launch carrying essential items and passengers started its journey from Chitrakonda jetty to Andrapalli panchayat at 12 noon on Saturday.

Notably, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed the district administration to resume launch services as early as possible following a delegation of people’s representatives on Friday met the CM here seeking his immediate intervention.

Due to the suspension of the service since August 20 all activities of the people in the area had come to a standstill as launch service is the only mode of communication for them.

“People of the cut-off area depend on the launch service for their day-to-day requirement including rations,” said Mukta Kheela, a resident of cut-off area and added that health services are the worst affected.

The issue was also raised in the monsoon session of Assembly by the Congress members. However, there had been no change in the situation.

A group of armed Maoists had threatened the launch operators to stop the services immediately or face consequences. The State’s water resources department had been operating six launches in Balimela reservoir since a long time in order to provide communication to the people in cut-off area.