By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Look at this photo taken somewhere on Mahanadi Riverine connecting Bay of Bengal on Sunday. A Former Health and Information Public Relations Minister and senior BJD MLA from Kendrapara’s Mahakalpada, Atanu Nayak, how desperate to bounce back in the Cabinet overpowering 2 other aspirants of this politically sensitive district , like Pratap Keshari Deb of Aul and Sashi Bhushan Behera of Kendrapara, this photo has enough answers.
Atanu Nayak’s such photo pose with all powerful and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s most trusted lieutenants 5T Secretary VK Pandian during the latter’s visit to Kendrapara to review Port projects, has gone viral in social media.
“The way MLA Atanu Nayak showing himself before Pandian, as if he is desperate,” a political analyst said adding expelled Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi had the courage to call 5T secretary as ‘Kartik’ instead of Sir as like many of BJD leaders showing themselves before the Tamil Nadu born Odisha cadre IAS, Officer, who happens to be the Son-in-Law of late legendary Biju Babu’s Karmabhoomi, Kendrapara.
Earlier, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy flanked by 5T Secretary, Pandian and Manoj Mishra, Special Secretary, Commerce & Transport visited Mahakalpada to review port projects for Kendrapara. Tripathy, Pandian along with local MLA Nayak, Collector Samartha Verma and PPT Chairman Rinkesh Ray discussed about the proposed Mahanadi Riverine Port project in Kendrapara.
The port will come up at Akhadasali village under Mahakalapada block in Kendrapara district, 13 km away from the river mouth at Paradip.This all-weather and multi-user port on river Mahanadi will be set up in PPP mode with a capacity of 54 MTPA at estimated cost of Rs 4,062 crore, of which 22 MTPA capacity will be created in the first phase at a cost of Rs 2,562 crore. On commissioning, the port will provide direct and indirect employment opportunities to more than 4000 persons in the first phase and about another 1700 in the 2nd phase.
The Ministry of Port, Shipping & Waterways has agreed to the State Government’s proposal for the Riverine Port to be developed by PPT for which the formal MoU with the State Government is under finalisation.PPT will develop supporting project infrastructure like rail and road connectivity and dredging requirements of the port.
The State Government has identified 300 hectares of land for the project.The government will also provide necessary support to PPT in respect of any additional land required for the project. In 2018, the government had decided to go ahead with Mahanadi Riverine Port and an RFQ was issued.However, the project couldn’t progress due to lack of interest by potential bidders. PPT then evinced interest in the project and consequently the MoU is proposed to be signed with the State Government.
