Keonjhar: The controversy surrounding the Gandhamardan Loading Agency and Transporting Cooperative Society in Keonjhar district continues despite a recent Crime Branch raid and arrests. The agency, located in Suakati under the Banspal block, has been under scrutiny for alleged corruption and financial irregularities. Opposition leaders have voiced dissatisfaction, claiming the Crime Branch is only investigating recent transactions and neglecting earlier dealings and those after the government change. The cooperative society takes orders from companies purchasing iron ore, with machine-operated loading replacing manual labour. The funds generated from this machine loading are used for development of the mining affected area and its population. However, political leaders, government officials, and workers from the society are said to have benefitted most from these funds, leaving the corruption unchecked for years. In 2021, a special audit was conducted by the District Registrar of Cooperative Societies (DRCS) following a complaint. While financial irregularities were allegedly found to be multiple times higher, the audit report allegedly downplayed the same due to political and administrative pressure.
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Despite the findings, no action was taken, and the report was kept in cold storage by the district administration and the cooperative department. Former MLA Subarna Nayak criticised the lack of action, suggesting that if the audit had been acted upon earlier, the current scale of corruption might have been prevented. Nayak has called for a thorough investigation into all transactions linked to the society’s account, including payments to political leaders and officials. The Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) oversees the mine, raising questions about how such irregularities could occur without the knowledge of its authorities. Nayak emphasised that the Crime Branch inquiry should also include the OMC’s involvement in these financial malpractices. Local residents have raised concerns about the continued operations of a single company handling tender work for years without OMC’s intervention. They demand an investigation into whether the OMC or the loading agency was responsible for peripheral development work in the area. Both entities have claimed substantial expenditures for environmental development, prompting calls for an independent inquiry into these claims. Further allegations suggest that certain senior employees of the mining company have been collecting a percentage of money per tonnage for ore transportation.
Critics argue that a thorough investigation into these individuals’ activities could expose illegal transactions worth hundreds of crores. Additionally, while the local population has suffered from pollution, traffic problems, and environmental damage due to mining operations, district leaders and administrative officers have remained silent, fueling suspicions of collusion and corruption. BJD MLA Badri Narayan Patra also voiced support for an investigation, claiming that the district collector and superintendent of police were complicit in protecting Raja Chakra, who was arrested in the recent raid.
Patra noted that despite repeated calls for action and the audit report highlighting fund mismanagement, the administration had failed to take appropriate steps. BJP MP Anant Nayak also called for a deeper investigation, suggesting that the truth behind the scandal would expose the officials involved.
