Set up the Nano car Plant at Goplapur in Orissa

Set up the Nano car Plant at Goplapur in Orissa

R.P.Tripathy

Gopalpur near Berhampur City of Orissa was chosen as the location by the TATA group some 13 years ago for the biggest steel plant of India. Unlike Singur in West Bengal there was no such fierce opposition in Gopalpur over land acquisition and the state administration successfully acquired the huge tract of land, but even then the steel plant didn't come through. As a matter of fact, the TATA group is still in possession of the 3800 acres of land even today by the side of NH-5 and NH-217 and Howarh-Chennai main rail line near the upcoming Goplapur Mega port.

From a lay man's point of view, when so much hue and cry is created over 1000 acres of land in West Bengal for the Nano plant, why can't the TATA group consider Gopalpur in Orissa as an alternate location to house the Nano car plant? Seen otherwise, those people whose land was acquired by the State government and TATAs, showing them the dream of a huge steel plant where they will get jobs and there will be overall economic prosperity are now virtually begging in the streets of Berhampur city and elsewhere, having lost their livelihood and with no industry in sight. Won't it be logical now to give something to those people who lost their source of livelihood for the sake of the steel plant and in return got only miseries for their life time? Today there is no one to listen to their plight and no one is ready to take the responsibility for this fiasco. So, it reinforces the belief of a section of society who oppose industrialization under the pretext that it doesn't help those who suffer the most and eventually they prove to be correct in cases like this. To dispense the myth we need true corporate responsibility, patronage and commitment which are missing in the case of TATAs at Gopalpur.

So, it is high time that the possibility of locating the proposed Nano car plant at Gopalpur is explored. This would require zero displacement and the land being with TATAs would ensure its early commencement. If Gopalpur is not found suitable for the Nano car plant it must be ensured that the land under possession of the TATA group is returned to their owners, so that at least livelihood of thousands of families is not threatened and is brought back to normalcy

Railway Infrastructure in Berhampur and South Orissa remains pitiable

Railway Infrastructure in Berhampur and South Orissa remains pitiable in the absence of a coaching terminal, though East-Coast Railway is in the pink of its health

R.P.Tripathy

It is a matter of great disappointment for the people of Berhampur and South Orissa that the divisional and zonal authorities are taking least interest in developing Berhampur Railway station and the overall development of railway infrastructure in South Orissa . The more than a century old Berhampur Railway station, built by the British is the second busiest railway station in the state of Orissa, after Bhubaneswar and it enjoys an “A” grade status. But, this is one of the poorly managed stations under the East Coast Railway Zone.

For the past 20 years the people of South Orissa have been demanding for a railway coaching terminal at Berhampur railway station, so that the long distance trains terminating at Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam could be extended up to Berhampur, the principal city of South Orissa. Several agitations, protests and memorandums have not helped in its materialization. Infact, the state government has also requested for a coaching terminal at Berhampur, but in vain. Coaching terminal at Berhampur railway station would solve some of the long felt problems of the people of Berhampur city and South Orissa but the railway authorities have remained unmoved so far.

Requests for direct train links to Rourkela , Tata, Surat and Allahabad etc. and extension of Orissa Sampark Kranti Express to Berhampur have not materialized yet. These are only some of the examples of the kind of seriousness the railway authorities attach to Berhampur railway station which caters to at least five million people of 4 southern districts of Orissa.

Most of the assurances of the East Coast Railway authorities have fallen flat as the railway foot over bridge to give connection the fourth platform in the Berhampur Railway Station has taken more than 4 years and is far from complete and the work on expansion of the 4th platform is yet to begin despite the shifting of the goods shed from the station to the outskirts of the city. The Lanjipalli railway over bridge is under construction for the last 7 years. The demand for a new passenger halt at Industrial Estate in the city has not been addressed so far.

The demand for a new railway division at Berhampur for ensuring better railway infrastructure in South Orissa is very old. Even the Hon’ble Union Minister of Railways has concurred this in the Rajya Sabha vide question (unstarred) number 728 and dated 17th August 2007. A new railway division at Berhampur will definitely help in better railway services for the people of South Orissa .

Sincere steps are needed to address the above issues and the issue of coaching terminal in particular. Berhampur and South-Orissa deserve better attention and augmentation in resources from the Indian railways to come out of the vicious circle of underdevelopment.

On the need to locate the proposed I.I.I.T (Indian Institute of Information Technology ) at Berhampur

R.P. Tripathy

South Orissa , comprising a large part of KBK and other backward districts like Kandhamal, Ganjam and Gajapati, lag behind on almost all parameters of social and educational development. At the moment South Orissa doesn't have a single centrally funded institution for Higher and Technical education. The concentration of central institutions around the State capital has led to large scale discontent among the people of South Orissa and KBK region. In this regard, it will be logical to move out to not so well of places of the state for locating the centrally funded institutions like I.I.I.T.

Berhampur, which is emerging as an alternate IT and ITES destination of Orissa also happens to be the biggest urban cluster of South Orissa and KBK region. Further, the STPI at Berhampur will be an added advantage for locating the I.I.I.T at Berhampur and also in building the Bhubaneswar-Berhampur Knowledge corridor. The proposed IT and commercial complex at Berhampur by IDCO under PPP route will ensure better infrastructure for the IT companies. Presence of Berhampur University , a good chunk of Engineering Colleges and other technical education institutions in Berhampur will work to its advantage.

Berhampur, being the gateway to the vast region of South Orissa and KBK, will certainly attract more IT companies for its strategic location, higher education base, huge human resource potential of the region and its connectivity with all the major cities of India by rail and road. The modest climate of Berhampur will also be to its advantage. The upcoming Gopalpur port and SEZ are likely to make the environment more industry friendly.

The Central government and Planning Commission have plans for 20 new IIITs (Indian Institute of Information Technology) across the country during the 11th plan. Going by news paper reports, Orissa is definitely going to get one of these IIITs. In this respect locating the proposed IIIT at Berhampur, apart from the one planned for Bhubaneswar , would be in the larger interest of the state. In this regard, it becomes imperative for the State and central government and the nodal agencies like Planning Commission to expand the IT education base by adhering to the principle of distributive justice.

Berhampur and South-Orissa deserve better attention and augmentation in resources from the State and Central Government to come out of the vicious circle of underdevelopment. We must strive to esure the realization of this prestigious institution at the earliest.

Silk City Berhampur