DOUP vows to fight for rights of South Odisha Districts

TNI Bureau: The Dakhina Odisha Unnayan Parishad (DOUP), the only registered organization, held its Annual General Meeting and anniversary celebrations on Friday, September 27th, at Geetagovinda Sadan, Bhubaneswar. The event was chaired by Bhrugu Baxipatra, President of DOUP, and graced by the presence of Chief Guest and Rajya Sabha MP Munna Khan and Distinguished Guest, MLA of Paralakhemundi, Rupesh Panigrahi.

DOUP, which focuses on the development of South Odisha, has been active for the past 20 years across seven districts, namely Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal, Gajapati, and Ganjam.

Prominent figures such as Bipin Bihari Panda, Secretary of the Council, Swadesh Sundar Pattnaik, Editor of the Council’s publication Dakshinavarta, and the Chairman Bhrugu Baxipatra were also present. During the event, the 11th edition of ‘Dakshinavarta’ was launched by the distinguished guests.

In his speech, the Chief Guest Munna Khan emphasized the need to prioritize the development of South Odisha, highlighting that despite the region’s significant contribution in terms of natural resources and skilled manpower, it remains underdeveloped. He urged the formation of a delegation to present the region’s demands to the state government, expressing confidence that the government would heed these concerns. Similarly, MLA Rupaesh Panigrahi reassured the council of his commitment to the region’s development, particularly regarding the elevation of SKCG College to university status and the creation of a sports complex.

President Bhrugu Baxipatra discussed the region’s potential in renewable energy, tourism, and local cottage industries. He also raised concerns about environmental impacts from developments such as the Gopalpur port and the need for the state government to address issues like the Polavaram project and the rights of marginalized groups such as the Kutia Kandhas.

In the meeting, Bhrugu Baxipatra and Bipin Bihari Panda were re-elected as President and Vice President, B. Seetharam Patra as Editor, Rajkishore Panigrahi as Treasurer, and Umakant Patra as Joint Editor. Additionally, ten Executive Members were elected: Swadesh Sundar Pattnaik, Gandhi Choudhury, Rabindra Kumar Nahak, Manas Tripathy, Sagar Satapathy, Ananta Narayan Mohanty, Sunita Kumari Patra, Umi Daniel, Nrusinghcharan Panda, and Bismay Mahapatra.

The Dakhina Odisha Unnayan Parishad (DOUP) is currently active across three divisions in the seven districts, and plans are underway to expand into nine divisions in the near future. Chairman Bhrugu Baxipatra expressed optimism about these developments, while Umakant Patra concluded the meeting with a vote of thanks.