Sarpanch Locked Up In Panchayat Office On Independence Day In Odisha

Keonjhar: The sarpanch and officials of a panchayat in the district had an unpleasant experience on Independence Day as they were locked up inside the office for 8 hours by irate villagers for alleged irregularities in Prime Minister’s Awas Yojana (PMAY).

According to sources, the PMAY beneficiaries of Sirigida panchayat under Telkoi block had submitted a complaint to the district collector alleging that there were large scale irregularities in distribution of pucca houses under the scheme.

They stated in the complaint that the true beneficiaries were deprived of the scheme while three houses were allotted to one particular person of the area. Besides, the officials were taking bribe to sanction the bonus amount meant for the beneficiaries, they added.

After their complaint to the collector yielded no result, the villagers had approached local BDO. But no step was taken to sanction the houses to them, the sources said.

On Sunday, the beneficiaries came to know that sarpanch Jinkapat Pingua and officials of the panchayat had come to the panchayat office for unfurling the National Flag on the occasion of Independence Day. They went to the office to apprise them of their grievances.

When they were trying to speak to the sarpanch, an official pushed them to disperse. Agitated over this, the villagers locked up the panchayat office from outside and sat on a dharna before it. They also raised slogans against the officials for irregularities.

However, on being informed, police arrived at the spot and released the sarpanch and the officials after 8 hours’ detention.

Later, the sarpanch told the media that he had no role in the irregularities and assured that the problems of the beneficiaries will be resolved within three days.