Bhubaneswar, Dec 19: Odisha Governor Raghubar Das has drawn the attention of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to certain issues faced by the people and advised him to look into the matter.

The Governor undertook a visit to Angul and Dhenkanal districts from December 5 to 7. In a letter to the Chief Minister, Das has shared his personal experience on several problems faced by the people in the two districts, sources said on Tuesday.

“During my interaction with them (people), they have brought out various issues pertaining to them… which may kindly be considered by the state government for appropriate action,” the Governor mentioned in the letter.

In Dhenkanal district, the Governor visited ‘Bruddhashram’ (old age home) at Joranda being run by Maharshi Dayanand Seva Mission. The Mission wants the land to be in its name to provide basic facilities to the inmates.

During his visit to Turang panchayat in Banarpal block of Angul district, ASHA workers urged the government to construct a ‘Mamata Gruha’ for health check-up and counselling of pregnant women, the Governor said.

The Governor also narrated how the people brought to his notice the water pollution caused by mining operations of Mahanadi Coalfield Limited (MCL) and its adverse impact on the health of the local residents. The groundwater level in the area has also been getting depleted, the Governor said in the letter.

The people also drew the attention of the governor that no meeting of the Rehabilitation and Periphery Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) has been held in the last two years. As a result, the grievances of the people in the area are not being redressed, the letter said.

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Meanwhile, the opposition BJP and Congress criticised the state’s BJD government and alleged that the governor’s findings in the two districts were just the tip of the iceberg.

“The entire state is facing a similar situation. The Governor’s visits have exposed the BJD governent's 'false claim' of development,” alleged BJP leader Mohan Charan Majhi.