nThe Lokayukta of Odisha showing its displeasure on the reports submitted by the ABDO of Mahakalapada and PEO of Badakul gram panchayat on the alleged IAY scam in Badakul, recently directed the former BDO of Mahakalapada and the computer programmer to remain present before it with their reports on February 24.
According to sources, late Ranjan Kumar Das, former district convenor of the Orissa Soochana Adhikar Abhijan(OSAA), had filed a complaint on January 27 last year before the Lokayukta urging to intervene in the IAY scam at Badakul gram panchayat and sought action against the corrupt employees. Das had alleged that the housing scheme had been in a mess in some villages under Badakul panchayat.
An RTI revelation by DRDA office in 2014-15 informed that 22 persons of Badakula GP received 32 IAY work orders and six out of them received two to three work orders each.
Even, the RTI reports exposed that the IAY work orders had been provided to the Government employees. Again while the Badakula gram panchayat office provided the number of IAY beneficiaries as 121 in 2014-15, the block office provided the number of beneficiaries as 28, who got IAY in 2014-15 in the GP. Though the OSAA members on March 20, 2018 had brought the matter before the notice of the district Collector by submitting TR information and had demanded action against the employees involved in irregularities, but the district Collector had not taken any steps, for which they had resorted to an indefinite agitation in front of the Collectorate from April 9, 2018.
Even, the activists of OSAA had staged an agitation in front of the district vigilance office protesting the callous and indifferent attitude of the Vigilance in conducting an inquiry in the IAY scam. Failed to get justice, activist late Das had knocked at the doors of Lokayutka of Odisha seeking an intervention in the issue.