Corporators’ Dharna Against CMC: Sura Routray Threatens To Gherao Min’s House

Cuttack: The Congress and BJP corporators’ agitation at Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) office following cancellation of the council meeting entered its fourth day on Thursday with Mayor and CMC commissioner refusing to entertain their demand.

The Opposition corporators led by Barabati-Cuttack MLA Mohammad Moquim have been staging a peaceful dharna against the ‘autocratic attitude and corrupt practice of the civic body’ since Monday. Besides accusation of 100 acre land scam at Hadia Patha, they have alleged corruption and irregularities in availing manpower from an outsourcing agency for garbage collection in the city and allotment of pindi (vending unit) to vegetable vendors at the newly-inaugurated urban haat.

Expressing solidarity with the agitating corporators on Thursday, Congress’ Jatni MLA Suresh Routray alleged the opposition corporators are being ignored and funds are not being released for development of their wards. “Funds are being misappropriated and they are seeking an answer for the same. If the issues are not resolved in a day or two, we will gherao Urban Development minister’s house in Bhubaneswar and discuss them threadbare in the Assembly,” he told the media.

Moquim said the agitation will continue till the time the Mayor and Commissioner agree to hold discussion on the issues. “The CMC is involved in massive corruption and irregularities. Otherwise, why are the civic body authorities reluctant to hold discussions on the issues?” he asked.

The opposition corporators have also alleged involvement of mayor Subhash Singh and CMC commissioner Nikhil Pawan Kalyan in the alleged irregularities.