The Adivasi Kalyan Sangha of Nuapada at a Press meet at Khariar on Friday demanded immediate arrest of Nuapada District Welfare Officer (DWO) Sarbeswar Sahu and action against other district officials who are allegedly involved in a Rs 88-lakh misappropriation case.
The fund was meant to organise campaign for awareness development of ST and SC people of the district which was misappropriated by a nondescript NGO in connivance with officials of the Human Rights Protection Cell, Bhubaneswar, said leaders of the Sangha.
“We are thankful to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik fot the action initiated to nab the culprits. Senior IPS officer Joydeep Nayak and many others are behind the bars, but more action is required to bring the truth about the involvement of district authorities of Nuapada in this fund bungling case,” they said.
Sangha president Balakrushna Sabar informed that the Sangha had sent a memorandum to the Chief Minister on May 18 demanding a thorough investigation into the fund bungling issue at the district level to bring out the truth.
“Without knowledge of the district authorities, the misappropriation would not happen because the release of funds to the NGO has been approved by the district authorities, which have certified that the campaign has been conducted in the district. This is nothing but a conspiracy to deprive tribals and dalits of their rights. The Sangha, thus, demand that the officials who have been involved in this case be immediately arrested,” said Sangha secretary Bhanupratap Majhi.
“We also demand re-allotment of fund for organising campaign to develop awareness among tribals and dalits of the district,” said Sabar.