Joda Municipality Executive Officer PK Sahoo was gheraoed by contractors for non-payment of sanitary bill in his office on Friday.
Sources revealed that as per the normal practice, new job orders are given after the end of March 31 of every financial year, but this year due to disputes between the 14 Councillors on the one hand and the Chairperson backed by Minister Badri Patra on the other, no contractors for the sanitation work could be engaged. Consequently, sanitation work was stopped virtually for four days in the month of April and the Joda citizen experienced a very unhygienic condition.
While the Joda civic body Chairperson wanted fresh tender for the sanitation work, the Councillors wanted extension of the existing contract for one year and passed a resolution accordingly in the absence of the Chairperson what the latter did not certify.
In order to tackle the situation, Keonjahr Collector at that time authorised the Executive Officer to appoint contractors on temporary basis and make payment up to certain level from time to time. Accordingly the contractors were engaged but no payment was made for last two and a half months.
When contacted, Executive Officer Sahoo told that the bill had been sent for Collector’s approval. After the files return, he will make payment.
However, Municipality Vice- Chairman Surendra Nath Jena alleged that the Executive Officer in collaboration with Chairperson Manjula Patra was knowingly creating problems in making payment.