On the advice of the Election Commission of India, the State Government has transferred both Jagatsingpur district Collector Yamini Sarangi and SP Jai Narayan Pankaj to Baragarh district to the respective posts, thus fuelling a debate among people of Jagatsinghpur regarding the action.
People cutting across party affiliations are now expressing displeasure at the State Government move as the transfer of the two district head officers have hindered developmental and security-related works in the district As it is an administrative decision of the Government to support the ECI for holding a free and fair poll by posting unblemished officers and, thus, cannot be taken to a court of law, the District Congress Committee has protested the move and expressed strong disapproval against the Government, said DCC president Rabindra Nath Mohanty.
Similarly, BJP district unit president Satya Brata Mohapatra opposed a simultaneous transfer of both the Collector and the SP who had been working tirelessly for the district for last 18 months. But the ruling BJD people have remained tightlipped over the matter.
According to reports, Jagatsinghpur district, which will observe 25th years of formation in 2018, has witnessed transfer of at least 15 Collectors. Yamini Sarangi, who was the first woman collector of the district on May 27, 2016, was transferred to Bargarh three days ago.
Earlier, Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra had completed 3 years as Collector followed by Dr Pramod Kumar Meherda and Satya Kumar Mallick who served two-and-a-half years each.
As a district Collector plays a key role in organising and supervising development works, frequent transfer of Collectors have stalled the development in big degrees, viewed many. They said Basically. a new Collector or SP takes at least six months’ time to get accustomed with geographic areas and familiarise with administrative set up of a district. Then, he begins his own strategy with regards to administrative functioning. But frequent transfers have made it virtually impossible for the Collectors and SPs to meet their targets. Yamini Sarangi had shown her dynamism streamlining the district administrative set up being affected by her few predecessors. She was doing official works minutely and event attending each public grievances camps held every Monday. Besides, she had successfully conducted the 2017 Panchayat polls in the district.
Moreover departing SP Jainarayan Pankaj would be remembered for his steady style of functioning when he successfully arrested businesssman Mahimananda Mishra from Bangkok and Congress leader Bapi Sarkhel in Seaways general manager Swain murder case.
Furthermore, he reopened the Tirtol acid attack victim case and successfully nabbed the army man who had thrown acid to a college going girl made her disable and blind. During his tenure Pankaj had curbed the crime graph, launched moral policing, safety and security measures for the general public, launched road safety awareness and adopted ‘no helmet no petrol’ drive.