Bhawanipatna: In a bizarre incident, the rubber stamps at Golamunda CDPO office in Kalahandi district have gone missing. The officials have blamed rats for the development. They claimed that rats had devoured the rubber stamps.
Sources said, Premlal Sunani a resident of Khasiguda village under Golamunda block in the district went to the CDPO office to file a RTI application. He wanted to get data on the distribution of Chhatua (Multi-grain Cereal powder) and pre-school kit in Golamunda block.
After receiving the application, public information officer (PRO) Phuralia Majhi signed on a duplicate copy and marked it as ‘received’. However, there was no official stamp or seal on the document.
When Sunani did not find the official stamp on either of the two copies and only the signature of the PRO, he asked for reasons. The PRO then told him that rats had eaten up all the official rubber stamps.
Suspecting some foul play Sunani lodged a complaint with SDPO Priyamanjuri Sahoo. The latter said it was a ‘trivial’ issue only.
Sunani however, along with other residents of the block took up the matter with District Collector Gavali Parag Harshad. He urged Harshad to look into the matter.
Other locals alleged this is not the first time when rats are being blamed. In the past also whenever important files and documents have gone missing rats have been blamed. They asked why the CDPO office is not being cleaned when the rat menace is increasing substantially.
PNN