Malkangiri | 24th Sept 2025: It has come to light that permanent multi-storey houses are being constructed inside government quarters in Balimela, raising serious questions about legality and administrative oversight. Local residents are questioning who granted permission for such large-scale constructions and under whose direction they are being carried out.
Such illegal expansion is reportedly taking place within the Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) quarters in Balimela town, where 2- and 3-storey buildings are being built by encroaching upon the existing government quarters — a clear violation of norms. Allegations have also surfaced that existing quarters are being demolished to make way for new structures.
This has led to suspicions of departmental collusion or favoritism, as it seems such large constructions wouldn’t be possible without the complicity or negligence of certain officials. Particularly near the Drug Line area and Gopi Pujari Club, some quarters appear to be illegally occupied or constructed with the blessing of insiders, according to public allegations.
Local residents are demanding that the District Collector intervene and investigate the matter. They are calling for action to stop the unauthorized construction and restore legality within the OHPC campus.