Bhubaneswar: After hearing an RTI application over river embankment damage, the Odisha Lokayukta issued Thursday a notice to six persons including a BJD legislator.
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A complaint was filed earlier by an RTI activist alleging the destruction of irrigation embankment from Gokarneswar to Budhalinga Majhipada road in Jajpur district, during floods last August that left over hundreds of acre of farmlands inundated and several crops damaged.
According to Lokayukta official sources, the ‘show-cause’ notice has been served to Dharmasala MLA Pranab Kumar Balabantaray, and five other Odisha government officials.
The officials who have been issued the show-cause noties are Works Department chief engineer at Nirman Soudha in Bhubaneswar, Jajpur District Collector Chakravarti Singh Rathore, executive engineer Panikoili R&B division, deputy executive engineer Jaraka irrigation division and junior engineer Panikoili R&B division Narendra Jena who happens to be the MLA’s maternal uncle.
Activist Sarbeswar Beura had alleged in his application that the irrigation embankment road was severely damaged due to the use of explosives. The dynamite blast led to massive crop damage and rendered many local villagers homeless. The damage was man-made and conspired by the local MLA, which was done to cover up low-quality of road construction work, the RTI activist alleged in his complaint.
The Lokayukta has sought a reply within next six weeks. Beura has been asked to remain physically present during the next date of hearing scheduled for December 3, this year.
Notably, about a 300ft-wide road breach was created on Kelua river embankment at Rampur area under Dharmasala block. Over 50,000 local villagers belonging to seven panchayats under Dharmasala block in Jajpur district had suffered a lot during the floods.
PNN
