Cuttack: As far as government office howlers go, the ones at Mahanga tehsil in this district could take the cake. While distributing compensation to the beneficiaries who had their houses damaged in cyclone Fani, the tehsil office here deposited an amount of Rs 95,000 twice in the bank account of a man.
By the time the incident came to fore, the beneficiary claimed to have spent the entire amount. When he was contacted on behalf of the tehsil, he said he had spent the money in treating his ailing wife, leaving the tehsil administration in the soup.
While it is being widely discussed here that some unscrupulous employee deposited the money twice in his account intentionally by greasing their palms, the tehsil administration denied it, saying it happened by mistake.
Locals here alleged that the employees of the tehsil office doctored the house damage reports of revenue inspectors in an attempt to grease their palms.
While there are a number of people who went through severe damages and losses to the cyclone and are yet to get any assistance, many who hadn’t are being compensated.
When contacted, Mahanga tehsildar in-charge, Dillip Nayak said the beneficiary who received the money twice has been asked to return the money. If he fails to do so, the employees involved in this howler would be held responsible and suitable action would be taken against them as per the official procedure, Nayak added.
PNN