The Dhenkanal Congress unit has accused the Regulated Market Society (RMS), the Dhenkanal Municipality and the PWD for the loss of human lives and property worth at least Rs 20 lakh in the Allasua market tragedy on Sunday.
Allasua is the oldest and biggest local market, which is functioning for over 100 years. The State Government has constituted the RMC on the Chairmanship of local Sub-collector for the development of all weekly markets.
Main responsibility of RMS is to construct sheds for the make shift shop owners. Besides, RMS is to provide road, drinking water and power supply facilities to the all types of traders.
For development of the market, the RMS collects taxes from the traders in lakhs. Unfortunately the RMS has done nothing for the oldest and biggest weekly market existing on the outskirts of the town, alleged Congress.
Subsequently, Dhenkanal Municipality had taken over from RMS for collection of revenue and development of the Allasuahata.
Allegedly Dhenkanal Municipality is collecting revenue from the traders but has not constructed any shed or pindi for the makeshift shop owners, for which traders choose to carry out their business near an abandoned rice mill.
Neither mill owner D Hansraj, nor the municipality or PWD had demolished the dilapidated building declaring the building unsafe.
Former Minister Nabin Chandra Narayan Das said it was duty of municipality to declare the rice mill unsafe and demolish it. He also flayed police and PWD officials for the negligence.