Parjang: Violating Odisha government’s guidelines, the office and residence earmarked for the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) Division-I engineer at Parjang in Dhenkanal district has been rented out for over eight years. A contract firm has taken the buildings on rent at Rs 12,000 per month.
This incident came to the fore after two engineers of this office indulged themselves in mud throwing at each other following which a staff of the contract firm revealed everything.
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According reports, the firm of Talcher area has been carrying out overhead tank construction and laying pipelines as well at different places in the district. The two premises of RWSS Division-I are being used for storing construction material. The staff of the firm is allegedly residing at one of the buildings. Residents of this town are not allowed access to RWSS office and it remains locked most of the times, locals alleged.
The locals have brought this matter to the attention of Parjang block development officer (BDO).
Reacting to the allegation of office and resident spaces being rented out, engineer Trilochan Pradhan said, “As there are no watchmen to guard the two premises, a contract firm has been allowed for watch and ward purposes. Another engineer named Hemant Kumar Nayak who was working here previously had given the two premises on rent.”
“During Nayak’s tenure, scrap worth lakhs of rupees were sold to a vendor at Paramhanspur. The money was shared between Nayak and staff of the firm. However, unequal sharing of money triggered severe altercation among them,” Pradhan added.
On being contacted, Nayak said. “The allegations being made against me are fictitious and baseless. It is being done purposefully to tarnish my image. Pradhan is the real culprit behind all these developments.”
Giving his views over this issue, Parjang BDO Basant Kumar Maliick said, “There is an allegation that office premises have been rented out. Necessary steps will be taken after conducting an enquiry”.
PNN