KBK block officials set ablaze own office

The Pioneer,14th January, 2009

PNS Kantabanjhi : Corruption seems to have taken deep roots in the Kantabanjhi area of Balangir district despite Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s assurance to the people in the KBK region of a transparent and responsible Government. It has reached such a stage that the block officials in Tureikela block allegedly dared to torch their own block premises to destroy evidences of all allegations of corruption and misappropriation in awarding various works. As such a serious incident took place in the remote area of KBK, no one from the State administration has got a hint of it. The block staff used to operate the computers by taking electricity to a room in the office illegally by using a hook. With the burning of the room, the computer-stored documents are also destroyed. “When corruption charges were levelled against them, the block officials tried to destroy the records by torching the house,” alleged former MLA of Kantabanjhi Santosh Singh Saluja, adding that the Rs 2-per-kg rice is no more available to the people. The people of the Kandei panchayat have not got the rice for the last three months, he added. Sources further said the NREGS work is a total failure. The block authorities give work order to candidates recommended by the local ruling MLAs. Both the ruling party members and the block officials are hands in glove and nobody dares to oppose it. As a result, the innocents are the worst sufferers. Despite sufficient number of Government quarters in the block office, most of staff prefer to stay in Kantabanjhi, 15 km away from the block. Neither the BDO nor other officials reach the office in time. Frustrated over the apathetic attitude of the block officials, about 5,000 people led by Saluja gheraoed the block office on Monday. After the local police officials urged Saluja to help the administration restore peace, normalcy returned in the area.