Former Aul Congress MLA Debendranath Sharma on Thursday lodged an FIR at the Rajkanika police station against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Principal Secretary, Water Resources, Anu Garg, district Collector Amrit Ruturaj, former Collector Samarth Verma and former DFO of Rajnagar Mangrove Forest and Wildlife Division, Bikas Ranjan Das.
He levelled charges of cheating the public, criminal conspiracy, destroying public property and creating a reign of terror through police, pertaining to a mega pipe water supply project on Kharasrota river near Barunadiha of Kendrapada. Sharma in his complaint alleged that the State Government and its officials without paying any heed to the demand of locals cunningly approved the project by informing falsely that the IIT, Hyderabad has provided report in favour of the project. Contrary to the claims by the State Government, Sharma said, the IIT, Hyderabad has clarified to an RTI query on September 27 that it had not conducted any environment and social impact assessment for the project.Sharma too alleged that Principal Secretary Water Resources Anu Garg, allegedly on last August 27 last year had submitted an affidavit in favour of the project before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and informed to the NGT that a study had been conducted for the project and the report had duly been vetted by IIT, Hyderabad.
He too alleged in his complaint that on last 15.12.2020, the Bhitarkanika Eco Sensitive Zone Monitoring Committee meeting was held under the chairmanship of former Collector Samarth Verma and attended by former DFO Bikash Dash.
The duo had allegedly presented the fake report of IIT, Hyderabad. Even, incumbent district Collector Amrit Ruturaj, too shared the IIT, Hyderabad report in on his personal Facebook ID.