Post News Network
Anandpur, Jan 29: Villagers from Belbahali area under Anandpur sub-division Thursday had a face-off with the administration over expansion of National Highway-215 and shifting of Kusei bridge. Apprehending law and order situation, prohibitory orders (Section 144 of IPC) were clamped in the area.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had issued notices to some local people for acquisition of land. In 2009, the NHAI conducted a survey and changed the direction of the highway and shifted the place of the proposed bridge. The villagers have been strongly opposing the change in the plan since 2009.
Locals alleged that the bridge at the proposed place posed fear of submergence to the areas like Haridapal, Panchupalli, Tolankpada, Mangalpur, Paikachatara and Belabhali. Thousands of hectares of farmland will be affected. Meanwhile, a company Thursday started the bridge work.
Informed, villagers along with children and women thronged the place and protested it. They remonstrated against the project, chanting slogans against the administration.
In view of a possible law and order situation, police clamped Sec 144 in the area as the situation remained tense. Anandpur sub-collector Maheswar Swain, additional superintendent of police Diptiranjan Ray, Anandpur Tehsildar Namita Biswal, Ghasipura tehsildar Barnendua Mohanty, SDPO Bikash Das, Anandpur IIC Rajesh Chhatria, Ramchandra IIC Arun Kumar Swain, Ghasipura IIC Laxmidhar Behera along with three platoons of police rushed to the spot. The situation remained tense till the last report was filed.
