Bharatiya Bikash Parishad State president Surendra Panigrahi submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister, the State Governor and the Chief Minister against the State Chief Secretary and Ganjam Collector for reportedly flouting of the provisions of DM Act 2005 and Epidemic Act 1897 diluting the relevant Covid-19 pandemic guidelines during the unlock 1,2, and 3 period.
The Parishad alleged that the Covid-19 guidelines issued by both the Union Government and the State Government during unlock-1,2, and 3 period and the subsequent directives of the SC delivered in WPC Civil No.468/2020 dated 31.3.2020 have been completely violated and disobeyed by the district administration while discharging their responsibilities to contain Covid-19 pandemic in the district.
While bringing the incident to the notice of the Prime Minister, the Parishad has further alleged that, the District Collector has harassed 4.5 million people of Ganjam district since April 20 till the date by pushing the public to mental and physical stress by creating an undeclared like emergency situation in Ganjam district on the sheer pretext of containing Covid-19 pandemic.
By their highhandedness, the people of Ganjam in general and Covid-19 patients in particular constantly remained in panic during unlock period 1, 2 and 3, resectively.
Citing some of the instances of violation of Covid-19 unlock guidelines the Parishad alleged that, when the Union Government keeping public interest and smooth public communication in mind resumed train services to some selective destinations/routes like Kolkata to Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore route such as Falaknama Express; Konark Express in Bhubaneswar-Mumbai route; and some special trains from Brahmapur to Bhubaneswar on daily basis, the Ganjam Collector recommended to the State Chief Secretary and the latter wrote to the Indian Railways requesting to cancel the halting of these trains at Brahmapur, Chatrapur and Balugaon railway stations from 28.7.20 to till date.
The district Collector-cum- DDMA authority while exercising its power has also diluted the Covid-19 unlock guidelines and arbitrarily imposed restrictions in public movement and business hours from 12 noon to 5 am and 5 am to 12 noon respectively till date. The less hours of business created artificial rush in local markets resulting in the spiraling rise in Corona affected cases in the district for which the DM should be made accountable, the memorandum pleaded.