Orissa MLA stages indefinite fast against NHAI apathy

Bargarh district administration has asked the project director of NHAI to rush to the district to have a word with Attabira constituency legislature Nihar Ranjan Mahananda, who has been fasting in protest against poor maintenance of the highway.

Mahananda has started his agitation in front of the Bargarh collector office from Thursday in protest against the poor maintenance of highway creating problems to the commuters especially in between Sambalpur and Bargarh.

However the NH authority has revealed that since the high way has been handed over to National highway authority of India (NHAI), it is their responsibilty to undertake repairing work of the highway," the Executive engineer (NH) Sambalpur PK Sutar said.

On the other hand, the NHAI office that is located in Keonjhar is looking after the work of the highway. But despite of the declaration of the legislature regarding his fasting agitation from Thursday, neither the officials of NHAI came to Bargarh nor was any step taken to resolve the issue.

“We have taken the issue seriously and directed the project director of the NHAI to come to Bargarh to resolve the issue immediately”, a senior officer of Bargarh administration said.

On the other hand, sources revealed that two officials of the construction company entrusted the four-lane works have been detained by the administration. The legislature Mahananda decided to continue his fasting till complete solution of the problems is not ensured.