Joda: The pent-up anger of local people against Champua MLA Santan Mahakud found an outlet when they locked the office of a transport company run by the legislator Saturday.
They shouted slogans against Mahakud, alleging that they had paid money to the MLA by mortgaging their jewellery and even landed property on the promise of getting mineral transportation work from the nearby Indrani Patnaik mine, but they were cheated.
Locals Sanjay Barik, Satyabrat Pradhan, Shantilata Rout, Aparna Nayak, Kamala Mahakud, Parbati Nayak, Biranchi Nayak, Mahendra nayak, Bhimsen Barik, Mahendra Maji and Amin Nayak demanded detailed statements of accounts of the company for last 12 years.
January 8, the villagers of Unchabali had sought accounts of Maa Kuanri Transport and Chaturbhuja Development Committee. The villagers claimed that they were partners in the two entities.
They accused the Champua MLA of monopoly in the mining trade. Scores of villagers led by youth leader Sanjay Barik held a meeting earlier on the issue. They accused the MLA of reneging on his promises made to villagers.
The villagers said for the last 12 years, Mahakud had taken Rs 1000 each from 600 people and formed a development committee.
Mahakud had floated a transport firm Maa Transport Agency and promised villagers to be its partners, but supporters of the MLA carried out mineral transport work for 12 years and did not give accounts of income and expenditure.
The MLA has also formed Chaturbhuj Development Committee after taking away lakhs of rupees from many people on the promise of giving them mineral transportation work.
They also said that a mining company has paid lakhs of rupees to the committee for development of roads, healthcare facility, school bus service, drinking water and electricity supply, but nothing has been done so far.
The agitating villagers said that they will make written complaints to the Chief Minister, State Human Rights Commission, the Collector, the SP and Bamebari IIC against the MLA.
However, the MLA could not be contacted despite efforts by this correspondent.
PNN