Mathili: Seeking the development of Tentuligumma panchayat, the birth place of freedom fighter Saheed Laxman Naik, hundreds of villagers in a letter requested Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to release Rs 100 crore.
Earlier, the Saheed Laxman Nayak Yuva Sena had lanched a campaign to raise Rs 100 crore for the development of the birth soil of the freedom fighter. The villagers joined the campaign and wrote to the CM in this connection.
In the letter, the villagers demanded the CM develop the freedom fighter’s village as a heritage site and restore its historical importance.
Among the various demands were a bridge over Tentuligumma river, road from Dandabadi to Tentuligumma village, construction of a school and an Anganwadi buildings in the panchayat, a primary health center with a doctor, bus facility between Koraput and Tentuligumma, inclusion of beneficiaries in yojanas under the Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Awash Yojana and a museum in the name of Saheed Laxman Nayak.
The villagers demanded the CM provide a facelift to the village with much-needed basic amenities, restore the places of importance of Saheed Laxman and provide better infrastructure so that people could visit them.
The villagers claimed that the birth place of the freedom fighter has been subjected to utter negligence after Koraput district was divided into four districts in 1992.
During the formation of separate districts, Tentuligumma was put as a village under Boipariguda block. However, after years of struggle, Tentuligumma was given the status of a panchayat. The villagers were assured that they would no longer have to live with the problems and all basic facilities would be near their reach.
However, there has been no development even after so many years. By now, it has dawned on the villagers that they will remain deprived of their fundamental rights unless a new struggle is put together.
So, the villagers joined the Saheed Laxman Nayak Yuva Sena and wanted the CM to help them raise necessary funds to turn the village into a heritage site.
With a view to reaching the message of the movement to the government, the villagers and campaigners used social media and garnered huge support. Among the supporters of the campaign are Madhu Nayak, grandson of Saheed Laxman and sarpanch Budra Nayak.
PNN
