Ex-Koraput MP seeks Union Territory status for erstwhile Dandakaranya region

Koraput district was part of the Dandakaranya settlement project that began in September 1958 to rehabilitate those East Bengal migrants who could not be accommodated in West Bengal

Published on: Oct 06, 2021 8:40 AM IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Former parliamentarian from Odisha’s Koraput Jayaram Pangi on Tuesday said he will quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to fight for conferment of Union Territory status to undivided Koraput district along with some portions of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Jayaram Pangi’s demand for Union Territory status to the hilly region is being seen as an attempt to be politically relevant. (Courtesy- Twitter)

Pangi, who joined the BJP in 2017 and lost the Lok Sabha polls from Koraput in 2019, said after remaining in politics for 44 years, he wanted to do some defining work for betterment of his native place and its people.

“I have been doing party politics for the last 44 years but in the dusk of life, I want to dedicate my time towards the greater development of undivided Koraput. The only way to resolve the issues is to accord Union Territory status to these areas for which I have formed the Dandakaranya Parbatmala Vikash Parishad,” Pangi said.

Koraput district was part of the Dandakaranya settlement project that began in September 1958 to rehabilitate those East Bengal migrants who could not be accommodated in West Bengal. Spread over an area of 80,000 square miles, the Dandakaranya Project also aimed to develop the tribal areas through construction of all-weather roads and railways, irrigation, agriculture and establishment of industries based on mineral and forest resources of the area. The first phase of the project was confined to the districts of Bastar in Chhatisgarh, undivided Koraput and Kalahandi districts of Odisha.

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“The tribals of the undivided Koraput district living near the border areas of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are yet to see any development. Among other issues, these villages do not have road communication. Though I have raised their problems with the state government several times, I am told that I am doing it since I am a member of an opposition party. If this is the case, why should I remain in politics?” Pangi said.

Pangi’s demand for Union Territory status to the hilly region is being seen as an attempt to be politically relevant. He, however said he will seek support from all parties towards his new found cause.

A four-time MLA of Pottangi, Pangi was elected to the Parliament from Koraput Lok Sabha seat as a Biju Janata Dal candidate in the 2009 elections. However, after he was suspended, he quit the BJD in May 2017 and joined the BJP.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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