BJP Alleges Rs 15,000 Crore Plantation Scam In Odisha, To Launch Agitation Tomorrow For CBI Probe

Bhubaneswar: Alleging corruption to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore in the name of ornamental plantation in Odisha, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday demanded a CBI probe into the whole scandal.

Addressing a press meet in the state capital, BJP’s Bhubaneswar district unit president Babu Singh said the party would launch an agitation on Friday to press for CBI investigation into the alleged multi-crore scam.

Alleging that financial irregularities to the tune of Rs 7,000 crore took place in Bhubaneswar alone in the name of ornamental plantation during Hockey World Cup, Singh claimed that there was a massive fraud of Rs 15,000 crore in the state in the name of plantation drive.

Accusing the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government of being involved in massive corruption, the BJP leader alleged that a handful of non-Odia bureaucrats are betraying the people of Odisha and looting the state in connivance with some ruling party leaders.

Stating that plants were procured from outside the state for the plantation drive, Singh claimed that the average cost per purchased plant was a whopping Rs 12,000. The authorities concerned must answer as to why the plants were bought at such an exorbitant price from states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, he said.

In Bhubaneswar, a huge amount of money had been pocketed in the name of plantations at seven places under flyovers and Shikharchandi hill, the BJP leader claimed.

Officials of the Bhubaneswar Development Authorities (BDA), Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other agencies were involved in the plantation scam, he alleged.

While Rs 30,85,000 was spent for planting 7,014 plants under the Vani Vihar flyover, a maximum of Rs 2.14 crore was spent on planting trees and flower plants at the foot of the Shikharchandi hill in the capital city, the BJP leader said.

What has raised many eyebrows is that all the nurseries from where the plants were procured are from outside the state, he said.

Accusing the officials of misappropriating money in the name of beautification drives, Singh said the government has deceived and cheated the people of the sate in the last 23 years.

Senior government officials and BJD leaders were not immediately available for comment on the allegations made by BJP.