As Chaiti is a local people’s festival, specially of tribals, several issues were pointed out by Rayagada public during a preparatory meet held in the presence of Minister Jagannath Saraka, Rayagada MLA Makaranda Muduli, Gunupur MLA Raghunath Gomango, former Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang, SP Vivekananda Sharma, ADM Rameswar Pradhan, ADM Bhaskar Raito, Rayagada Sub-Collector Kalyani Sanghamitra Devi and BSKY advisor Sudhir Das.
Though around Rs 92 lakh was spent in the Chaiti held during January, 2022, no account statement was shared with the public assembled in the preparatory meet as the cash book is yet to be finalised with audit report even after passage of almost 10 months of the event. According to the participants of the meeting, the then ADM Dharmananda Behera and present DCO Sasmita Bauri are involved in massive corruption as there was numerous cash transactions. Unaccounted cash was received by the duo, which have not come to the cash book and money receipts were not issued to the donors.
There are several instances of cheques drawn in the name of Sasmita Bauri, DCO, Rayagada. She was also instrumental in involving a Government teacher in criminal activities. Though lakhs were spent towards souvenir “Chaitali”, not a single copy was distributed to the public. Misappropriation was done in food distribution and engagement of an event management company.
A committee representing the public has rendered a few suggestions for conducting the ensuing Chaiti-2023, including constituting a finance committee involving competent public persons including senior citizens, mediapersons and retired Government servants, etc to scrutinise and ratify all the bills and vouchers of Chaiti-2022 in the audit process and a plan and budget for Chaiti-2023.
As per the decision, the three-day Chaiti will start from December 26 followed by Pallishree Mela on December 29 and 30. This year, Chaiti will be inaugurated on December 11 from Devagiri in K Singhpur block and Chaiti Idital from Marichaguda in Padmapur block.
