Kalahandi: Tension flared during a Gram Sabha held Monday at Sadar Gram Panchayat under Thuamul Rampur block in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, as villagers openly confronted the sarpanch and local administration over alleged corruption, administrative negligence and poor civic management.
The meeting, organised on the occasion of Republic Day, witnessed strong public resentment over alleged misappropriation of funds under government schemes, arbitrary governance by officials, and irregularities in the operation of the local weekly market.
Villagers expressed particular anger against Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO) Tankadhar Sahu, accusing him of repeated absenteeism and neglect of duties. Sahu is in charge of both Taljhapi and Thuamul Rampur panchayats, and locals alleged that he mostly remains stationed in Taljhapi while ignoring responsibilities at the block headquarters. They also claimed that he frequently skips Gram Sabhas and Palli Sabhas, delegating responsibilities to junior officials.
According to residents, a weekly market platform was constructed near the tehsil office using government funds, but the panchayat has failed to operationalise it. As a result, the market is being held at a private and unsafe location, where alleged illegal collections are being made from shopkeepers, depriving the panchayat of revenue.
The villagers further alleged that despite Thuamul Rampur being a block headquarters, the panchayat office lacks a display board, and residential areas remain without street lighting. They claimed that streetlights have been installed in abandoned structures instead of inhabited wards, leading to alleged wastage of public funds.
Sarpanch Bijaya Majhi was also criticised for allegedly reacting angrily towards complainants and journalists instead of addressing public grievances. The villagers demanded the immediate appointment of a separate Panchayat Executive Officer exclusively for Thuamul Rampur.
Amid mounting public pressure, several issues were formally included in the Gram Sabha resolution in the presence of ADEO Chudamani Raut. These include providing electricity in Bada Khaman Pada, installing a tube well in Talabandha Pada, granting pensions to eligible beneficiaries, making the bus stand toilet functional, relocating Vasudha scheme switch valves from roads, developing unused ponds for a bus stand, installing a Jio network tower, revising rent of panchayat shop rooms, constructing new shops, and installing an information display board at the panchayat entrance.
Villagers questioned the effectiveness of annual Gram Sabhas, asking why meetings are held if previous resolutions remain unimplemented. They refused to submit fresh proposals for the current year and demanded accountability for past works.
Ward members, village volunteers and hundreds of villagers attended the meeting. It remains to be seen whether the administration will act on the grievances raised or if the issues will once again go unaddressed.
