Govt shifts over 10,000 people in Odisha ahead of missile test

Balasore (Odisha) Odisha’s Balasore district administration has temporarily shifted over 10,000 people from 10 villages to another place ahead of Wednesday’s scheduled missile test, an official said. The DRDO also completed the required range preparation for the missile test at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, a defence source said here on Tuesday.

The test will be conducted from launch pad number 3 of the ITR.

Meanwhile, the Balasore district administration has made arrangements to temporarily evacuate 10,581 people belonging to 10 villages residing within a 3.5 km radius of the launch pad prior to the test launch of the missile, said a revenue officer.

“As a safety measure these arrangements are being made with adequate compensation to affected people,” the official said.

A preparatory meeting was held here Tuesday by the district administration in the presence of the Collector, Ashis Thakare and Superintendent of Police, Sagarika Nath for the smooth shifting of residents falling in this zone to nearby temporary shelter centers, said the revenue officer.

Through the public address system the district administration has alerted people in these villages to leave their house by 4 am on Wednesday and remain in the camp till an announcement is made to return to their houses after the launch is over. The compensation amount will be credited to their bank account after they report to the camp, said the officer. Balasore district administration has made adequate arrangements for their stay in nearby schools, multipurpose cyclone rehabilitation centers and temporary tent shelters, said a district revenue officer.

At least 10 government officials have been deputed in each camp to assist people and 22 sections (one section comprises nine personnel) of police have been deployed to assist people in the camps.

Drinking water facilities and a temporary health camp for the shifted people have been arranged, said the officer.

At the same time, there has been resentment among the villagers who are temporarily being shifted.

They alleged that “inadequate compensation” is being sanctioned for them.

They said that the amount of compensation fixed by the district administration for the people evacuating temporarily has not changed for a long time. Fishermen and farm labourers engaged in the fishery pond, which comes under the evacuation range should also be compensated, they said. At present, for one day of temporary shifting, each adult is given a compensation of Rs 300. Each minor gets Rs 150 in addition to Rs 75 for food.

On Monday, a petition in this regard was submitted to the ADM, Balasore, by some villagers.