Sambalpur: After electricity, now water smart meter scheme, Violent protest of Western Unity Forum

Sambalpur: After the electricity department, now the public health department’s announcement to install smart meters in Sambalpur has been strongly opposed by the Western Union Ekta Manch. While all the public welfare schemes of the state start from Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, why are the tax collection and burdening schemes starting from Sambalpur? Earlier, the electricity department’s plan to install pre-paid meters from Sambalpur was thwarted after people’s protests. After Tata Power took over, the electricity service in Sambalpur has completely collapsed and people are not in a position to accept prepaid meters under any circumstances.

At the same time, it has been accused by the forum that it has become a ridiculous thing to talk about the prepaid meter of the public health department, which is called negligence. Sambalpur public health department is not able to provide proper drinking water to the people, the people of Sambalpur are living under the Hirakud Dam and are thirsty on rainy days. On the road, water pipes are flowing through cracks and sewers. The department’s contribution to the city was the jaundice epidemic of the previous year, which the department was unable to repair. Even though the state government gave 160 crores for the new building, the people of the city did not get any benefit. They said that installing smart meters in Sambalpur is an innovative idea. If the government wants to implement the plan of installing public health pipes and smart water meters, start from Bhubaneswar. Sambalpur should not be applied for all types of taxes. Where the government is spending for smart cities, first install smart meters and collect bills. The Ekta Manch demanded on behalf of the people of Sambalpur that the public health department should implement the plan to provide clean drinking water to the people of Sambalpur. On Friday, the workers of the forum met the additional executive officer of the public health department, Gulsan Kumar Sahu, and handed over these demands.

In addition to informing about this, he promised to solve other problems related to drinking water supply quickly and permanently. Paresh Chandra Dani, journalist Shiv Prasad Meher, Kamal Lochan Panda of Vedic Brahmin Council, Mubrat Panda of Sambalpur, Shaswat Panda, Biplab Tansena, Shubham Hota, Akash Patnaik, Western Union Ekta Manchar Annapurna Barik, Bhavani Dhusar, Kanti Meher, Panjini Meher, Babita Pradhan, Soumitra Yati, Satish Dalua, Lalit Mohan Bebarsa, Shankar Meher, Rahul Gupta, Lambodar Bajei, Krishnachandra Das, Jitesh Panigrahi, Bhavani Shankar Bhoi, Manas Ranjan Baxi was present.