Protests with four-point demand including regular drinking water supply, increased house tax exemption
Brahmapur,(Odishabarta), Human Rights Protection Forum today issued a four-point demand for regular supply of drinking water to the surrounding areas of Brahmapur city, waiver of increased house tax, stop charging of parking fee in MKCG medical premises, opening of the second gate of the medical center for the convenience of patients. A protest has been held in front of the Sub collector’s office. It is to be noted that the Chief Minister’s promise of 24-hour supply of drinking water to Berhampur city has raised questions today in Intellectual Mass. In most parts of the city, the supply of drinking water has been stopped for weeks, so that it is difficult for people to get a pot of water. In the absence of corporation councils, the house tax has been increased for a period of time in the three metropolitan corporations of Brahmapur, Cuttack, and Bhubaneswar. After people’s reaction, the government withdrew the increased tax in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and the increased tax collection is going on forcibly in Berhampur, such inter-city policy of the state government has been strongly criticized. While there is no parking fee in any medical center in Odisha, parking fee is being charged forcibly in MKCG medical premises. In the name of security, investing crores of rupees in the name of security, installing CCTV cameras and security guards, who has the vested interests behind charging parking fees, the activists today questioned. A second gate of the medical center in front of the New bus stand was constructed to allow patients to reach the hospital very quickly, but at a cost of Rs 50 lakh. The said gate constructed is not opened, Patients are currently walking 4km of roads and traffic jams to reach the hospital. It is sometimes fatal for critically ill patients. Therefore, the forum has strongly condemned playing games with the lives of patients. Security guards have been ordered to immediately open the gate only for patients. If the four major demands are not resolved, the forum has warned that it will come down to Road block. The forum is led by lawyer Avni Gaya, Gagan Chandra Mallik, Subash Chandra Mishra, Bhuyan, Shyam Sundar Khadanga, Kaviraj Sahu, Prashant Kumar Panda, K. Srinivas Rao, Kaviraj Sethi, Biren Kumar Behera, Manoj Kumar Tarai, B. Maheshwar Subudhi played the leading role