The funds for digging tube wells in Kalabuda Gram Panchayat of Garadapur block have been allegedly embezzled by the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) officials, contractors and local leaders.
While the record shows more than 20 tube wells have sunk in past few years, they are actually not found on site.
The scam has come to light after social activist Minati Panda of Kalabuda village filed a petition under RTI the Act to know the details about the tube wells sunk in the locality. According to the information provided, it has come to the notice that as many as 47 tube wells were dug in Kalabuda Gram Panchayat from 2007 to 2012. But only 20 tube wells exist in the panchayat. Panda alleged that as per the RTI report, she came to know that in several places the tube wells that existed before 2007 were shown to have been sunk after 2007.
Even some private tube wells and school tube wells which were on the spot before the implementation of the project in 2007 were shown to have been sunk after 2007.
The Government record shows the tube well of one Babaji Swain of Bajraban village, who installed a tube well on his land from own pocket. Even, the most surprising fact is that the record covers the tube wells installed in Satapathisahi, Senapatisahi and lenkasahi
villages though these areas are not under Kalabuda Gram Panchayat. When contacted, District Collector Niranjan Nayak stated that he would take stern action against all those involved in the scam. The BDO of Garadapur has been asked to start a probe and submit a detailed report, he informed.