Panchayati Raj Minister Pradeep Maharathy on Tuesday ordered to place Salepur block ABDO PK Mallick and Accounts Officer Bharati Priyadarshini under suspension for dereliction of duties.
In a surprise visit to the block office, the Minister at around 11 am found that the office was manned only by the Personal Assistant of the BDO. While the BDO was apparently on an official tour, not a single other officer had turned up to the office.
“I have ordered to place the ABDO and the Accounts Officer under suspension and issued show-cause notices to eight other staff members of the block office,” Maharathy said.
“If the situation is so pathetic in the block office just 20 km from the headquarters of an important district like Cuttack and also in the vicinity of the State capital, what must have been the situation in the blocks of remote western districts,” the Minister wondered.