Tit-for-tat: Odisha lays stone for road construction on West Bengal border
Bhograi: In response to West Bengal’s alleged encroachment on Odisha’s land and construction of a 40-meter stretch of road at Sagada Sahi village under Bhograi block in Balasore district, the local administration Tuesday responded by laying the foundation stone for a concrete road.
Bhograi MLA Goutam Buddha Das laid the stone for the project and also sanctioned Rs 22 lakh from MLA LAD fund for construction of the road in the presence of panchayat samiti chairperson Prabir Kumar Giri, tehsildar Surya Kumar Nayak, Zilla Parishad member Kavita Mohanty, administrative officers, local representatives, and villagers.
He assured that the road works for which the foundation stone has been laid will start soon. Das also asked the administrative officials to complete road works on wartime footing and give a befitting reply to the neighbouring state’s trespassing plans.
He said Odisha will not cede even an inch of its land to West Bengal, asserting a tough stance in response to what he described as ‘encroachment by Bengal authorities’.
“If our patience is mistaken for weakness, we will respond with resolve,” Das said. Urging locals to remain vigilant for the protection of ‘mother, land, and language,’ he called upon border residents to act as sentinels.
The MLA’s comments came amid tensions near the Sagada Sahi village on the border near Kamarda in Bhograi block of Balasore district, where West Bengal’s revenue and administrative officials allegedly encroached on Odisha territory to construct a 40-meter stretch of road using earth moving equipment, under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. The incident triggered unrest between villagers from both states.
Das visited the disputed site along with Bhograi tehsildar, Kamarda police, and Public Works Department officials, and halted the unauthorised construction. He vowed swift action from Odisha’s side, and directed officials to carry out retaliatory development work at a ‘wartime pace.’
PNN
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