CMC-IDCO rift casts shadow on MSME hub plans in Odisha 

By Express News Service

CUTTACK: With the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) seemingly siding with encroachers within the wake of eviction discover issued to deputy mayor Damayanti Majhi amongst many others by Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO), the much-awaited transformation of Jagatpur Industrial Estate (JIE) right into a mannequin MSME hub of Odisha, a primary mission of Naveen Patnaik authorities, is below risk of derailment.

While the CMC had no qualms about demolishing slums and encroachments at many different locations within the metropolis, the confrontational method over elimination of a slum from one of many oldest industrial estates of Odisha to pave approach for its improvement has raised many eyebrows. 

“There is no chance of eviction of any slum without the consent of CMC as the civic body is the enforcement agency. First we will hold discussion with the slum dwellers about their relocation and rehabilitation and then the process of eviction will be taken up,” CMC Mayor Subhas Singh stated.But, on many earlier events, the slums and unlawful settlements have been eliminated in sudden operations and the evicted households needed to spend years on the roadside earlier than their rehabilitation plans have been put in place. 

In the current case, the IDCO has served discover to 143 individuals within the Balisahi together with the newly-elected deputy mayor’s mom to get better the encroached land. Interestingly, Mayor Subhash Singh stated, Damayanti was supplied an official quarter however she declined and most well-liked keep within the slum the place extra constructions at her home like a boundary wall have been being undertaken.

Considering the long-standing calls for of the MSMEs, who’re going through acute infrastructural issues within the property, IDCO has ready a blue print to develop it as a mannequin industrial property by chalking out a number of developmental and welfare initiatives.  Around 500 MSMEs are working within the property, which is offering direct and oblique employment to round 10,000-plus folks.

Sources stated, IDCO has complete 237 acre of land within the property which is adequate for finishing up the developmental and welfare initiatives. But, as many as 40 acres are stated to be below encroachment. However, IDCO is going through opposition from the CMC, which has alleged that the economic infrastructure company had not knowledgeable the civic physique earlier than issuing eviction discover. On the opposite hand, IDCO has clarified that there isn’t a have to take permission for evicting encroachers from its personal land. 

“We had put up eviction notice to remove the unauthorised and illegal constructions by May 10. But, with instruction of higher authority, the eviction process has been postponed for the time being in view of the possible cyclonic storm,” stated IDCO divisional head Parikhita Mahalik including that as per the legislation eviction might be carried out after a number of days.