Chandikhole in Jajpur district of Odisha yet to get Subdivision status, watch

Jajpur: Chandikhole in Jajpur district of Odisha is yet to get a Subdivision status though residents of this town have been making this demand for the last 30 years. As this status is yet to be achieved, the local people are not able to get the necessary facilities. And hence, there has been intense dissatisfaction among the people.

This area is under the Badachana block of the district. Chandikhol Chhaka is a junction of 3 national highways. There are more than 20 government and private offices in its vicinity. Chandikhole is the major commercial center of Jajpur district. However, why is Chandikole not given the status of a subdivision? Is it a problem at the government level or the politicians don’t want it? Let’s find out in today’s ‘Reporter Special’.

Chandikhole is a prime area of Jajpur district. While Chandikhol Chhaka is a junction of 3 national highways thousands of people visit here every day for different works. Over the time, many public and private educational institutions have been established here.

The demand for subdivision status to Chandikhol is not recent. Though this is a demand of last three decades, it is still lying in the cold storage. As a result, the discontent of the local people has reached its peak.

On the basis of its geographical location as well as infrastructure years ago it was announced that Chandikhole will become the North Cuttack district. Reportedly, legendary leader Biju Patnaik made this announcement.

Also, keeping in mind the sentiments of the people, later it was announced in 2004 that Chandikhole would be recognized as a revenue subdivision. Yet, though 19 years have passed the subdivision status for Chandikhole is yet to come.

Starting from JMFC and Sub-Judge Courts, District Audit Office, RD, R&B, RWSS Superintendent’s office, there are 8 police stations and Police outposts in its vicinity.

Similarly, besides being the junction of 3 national highways this place has extensive infrastructure with local transport offices, traffic Police station and bank zonal office. In nutshell Chandikhole fulfils all the conditions for establishment of Revenue Sub-Division to make the administrative system easy and simple. However, the locals are deprived of their rights sans fulfilment of their demand for the Subdivision status.

As per the earlier announcement, there is a demand for establishment of NAC and a District Judge Court, Jail at Chandikole along with the Revenue Sub-Division. Political parties have staged protest to press the demand in this matter. Recently, a protest was staged by Badachana Congress in Chandikhole. The party has also called for Chandikhol Bandh in the coming days.

In 1975, the then Chief Minister Nandini Satpathy decided to increase the number of districts in Odisha. Accordingly, a commission was formed under the chairmanship of Naba Kumar Das. Nandini Satpathy directed to submit the report of the infrastructure required for the formation of the new districts.

In the 1980s, the Das Commission gave a complete report on the formation of districts to the Janaki Ballabh Patnaik government. On this basis, later Biju Patnaik government formed 30 new districts from 13 districts.

Reportedly, at that time, Das Commission had proposed to declare North Cuttack district by including Cuttack, Kendrapara and Jajpur. If North Cuttack was a district, Chandikhole would have been its headquarters. However, the government declared Jajpur as a district. However, in 1993, Biju Patnaik reportedly promised to have its headquarters in Chandikhole. Later the subdivision of the district was changed to Jajpur instead of Chandikhole.

In 2004, the government again announced that Chandikol would be given the status of a subdivision. However, though 19 years have passed, the announcement is yet to be materialized. On the other hand, once the Subdivision status will be given, Chandikhole will get its right, said the local MLA. The people of Chandikhole has repeated the demand for Subdivision status.