The illegal practice of taking percentage (PC) is going on in Balangir district’s Tureikela block office openly, alleged Congress leader and former Kantabanji MlA Santosh Singh Saluja on Sunday.

Tureikela block Chairperson Anu Bhue has already written to Panchayati Raj Minister Pradeep Maharathy and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seeking action against the BDO and two junior engineers, informed Saluja.

According to Bhue’s memorandum, four road development projects were taken up in Tureikela block. But payments to the contractors of the projects were released without countersignature of the Chairperson, which is a requirement.

The projects included improvement of road with culvert from Kuibahal High School Chhak to Mandala at a cost of Rs 4.56 lakh, metalling of road from Mandala to Pakhamundala at a cost of Rs 4.25 lakh under Biju KBK programme, metalling of road from Sargul Chhak to Khagasa at Rs 4.32 lakh and concrete road at Andalpuri for Rs 4.63 lakh. Saluja said he along with Bhue recently met Minister Maharathy and apprised him in this regard.

Staging that a total of 21 projects involving Rs 80 lakh were released by the BDO without counter signature of the Chairperson and the BJD didn’t respond to his queries, Saluja has urged the Chief Minister to take action against the BDO and the two JEs.

In the memorandum, Bhuea claimed that she was the first block Chairperson who took oath in front of the block office on June 21 not to take percentage (PC) in development works after the Chief Minister asked district Collectors to stop PC culture in this regard.

A woman has also lodged a complaint at the Tureikala police station alleging that a JE manipulated her bill and deducted PC. She too alleged that the BDO misbehaved with her when she apprised him about the PC taken by the JE.