Odisha: Opposition Corporators Call Off Stir Over Irregularities In Cuttack Bali Jatra Tender

Cuttack: The Congress and BJP corporators, who had been on a dharna at Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) for the last 4 days over alleged irregularities in allocation of kiosks at Chhatra Bazar and Bali Jatra contracts, called off their agitation on Friday following a discussion with Mayor Subhas Singh and Commissioner Nikhil Pawan Kalyan.

Corporator of Ward 1 also had to be admitted to hospital this morning after she fell ill, sources said.

A corporator told the media that the Mayor had left the council meeting in a huff on November 13 when they raised 17 questions over alleged corruption and irregularities by the civic body authorities. “He accepted his mistake today and assured that he would get back to us with clarification on all the issues raised by us in two to three days,” he said, adding that they have not withdrawn the stir but only paused it.

A discuss is likely to held in this regard on November 22.

The Opposition corporators had resorted to the stir, demanding clarification from CMC authorities over cancellation of the council meeting. They had sought reply over the issues, including providing wrong information under RTI Act, arbitrary allotment of pindi (vending unit) to vegetable vendors in newly-inaugurated Urban Haat and irregularities in awarding tender amounting Rs 3.32 crore to a particular agency for digital light show, fireworks and selfie zone in the upcoming Bali Jatra and availing manpower from an outsourcing agency for garbage collection in the city and an alleged 100 acre land scam at Hadia Patha, among others.

The CMC was also accused of step-motherly attitude towards the Opposition parties’ corporators.