Breach In River Embankment: Odisha Lokayukta Issues Notices To BJD MLA & 5 Others

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Lokayukta Ajit Singh has issued notice to BJD MLA of Dharmasala Pranab Balabantray and five others in connection with a breach in the Kelua river embankment in Jajpur district in the last week of August this year.

Apart from the BJD MLA, the Lokayukta has also issued the notices to the Engineer-in-Chief, Works Department, Jajpur collector, executive engineer, Works of Panikoili Division, assistant executive engineer and junior engineer Naren Jena of Jaraka Division in response to a petition filed by the social activist Sarbeswar Beura.

The Lokayukta has asked the aforesaid persons to reply within six weeks from the date of the notice served on them while the hearing is scheduled on December 3.

In the petition, Beura has said that the construction of the river embankment built at a cost of Rs 24 crore had begun in 2016 and completed in December 2019.

Maintaining that the quality of the construction was extremely poor, he said the Works Department has not mentioned the details of the construction while the information sought through the Right to Information (RTI) Act is yet to be provided by the government.

The petitioner accused the Dharmasala MLA and assistant executive engineer and junior engineer Naren Jena — who happens to be Balbantray’s uncle — of plotting the breach by donating the embankment with dynamites. Beura said that the man-made breach has completely destroyed the standing crops in about 4000 hectares.

Notably, a petition was filed in the Lokayukta demanding a Crime Branch probe into the matter.

Also Read: BJP Accuses MLA, Kin Of Blowing Up River Embankment In Odisha’s Jajpur