Naveen Slams Centre On Coastal Highway Scheme

Banapur: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday came down heavily on the Centre for its coastal highway scheme.

Addressing a public meeting at Banapur in Puri Lok Sabha constituency, he said the state government had proposed the Centre to change its existing plan for the coastal highway roadmap and redraw a new map by changing the course of the proposed highway. But the Centre is in no mood to revise its plan and insists on constructing the highway on the old and existing road which will lead to the displacement of a large number of people,. who will also lose their land. “Now you tell me. Should the government safeguard the interest of the people or the contractors?” Naveen asked.

Referring to the Chilika lake, he said the largest brackish water lake in Asia is our mother and the pride of Odisha.

Stating that Chilika has sustained the livelihood of thousands of fishermen, the Chief Minister said the Centre is trying to take away the livelihood of the fishermen by disturbing the ecosystem of the lake. “As long as I am alive, I will ensure that the biodiversity of the lake remains intact,” he maintained.

Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister addressed a public meeting at Ranpur. In his address, the Chief Minister slammed the Centre for now allowing the disbursement of the two instalments of KALIA money to the farmers. He also spoke about the Central apathy towards the state on the issues relating to natural calamity and Mahanadi water row.