Padmapur: Massive irregularities were allegedly committed in Swachh Bharat Mission in different panchayats under Basudevpur block in Bhadrak district.
Locals have apprised the Collector, the BDO and the PD in this regard. It was alleged that toilets were sanctioned to scores of people in pen and paper, but their funds have been misappropriated. However, no action is being taken against the guilty, locals alleged.
Kailash Nath, a resident of Purusottampur in Karanjagadia panchayat, said he has built a toilet for his house, but he has been exhausted by frequenting to the panchayat office to get its bill cleared. When he inquired in the block office, he was shocked to know his bill has been cleared. He has no idea about who embezzled his fund. He also made a written complaint to the BDO and the PD in this regard.
Over 100 such cases have taken place in the same panchayat.
An RTI sought by Deepak Kumar Nayak and Pankaj Kumar Jena of Biras panchayat revealed a scam of Rs 30 lakh in their panchayat.
In Biras panchayat, an NGO was assigned to build toilets. The NGO was accused of having embezzled the funds.
Villagers alleged that in over 50 cases, bills were cleared twice without the knowledge of the beneficiaries while construction of over 150 toilets has been abandoned halfway.
In 100 cases, toilets have not been constructed, but their bills have been cleared.
Five dead people were shown in official records as beneficiaries and their incentive money has been misappropriated.
The RTI activists have sought information about toilet construction in 22 panchayats under this block, but the block administration is allegedly not passing out information about all panchayats.
When asked about the scam, BDO Pranab Kumar Bahara said action will be taken against those who were involved in it. The money will be recovered from them, he assured.
Similar irregularities in Daisingh panchayat had been reported earlier. Some corrupt officials have misappropriated funds in the names of their kith and kin and neighbours. The bank accounts of the beneficiaries were allegedly tampered with. Surprisingly, funds were misappropriated twice and thrice showing the same toilets in records.
PNN
