KENDRAPARA: A sarpanch in Kendrapara district has been placed under suspension on charges of siphoning off over Rs 9 lakh under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employee Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) which he was supposed to spend on planting trees.
Pravat Chandra Mishra, sarpanch of Rajnagar, is accused of not making the payment towards engagement of labour for the plantation. Besides, very few trees were found at the sites. Two of Mishra’s associates were suspended last year over the same case.
According to Rajnagar BDO Mandardhar Mahalik, the sarpanch along with panchayat executive officer Pravat Mallick and gramya rozgar sathi Pramod Sahoo allegedly bungled around Rs 9 lakh under MGNREGA in Rajnagar.
The authorities granted Rs 9,19,984 towards plantation of trees across the block and work was started by engaging local labourers on June 22 last year.
Out of the fund, a sum of Rs 2,71,216 was allotted towards wage payment to workers but it was made only on papers. This apart, only a few trees were found planted by the three officials.
Following the District Collector’s direction, Mahalik filed an FIR against the sarpanch and two others with Rajnagar police station. Basing on the FIR, police registered a case under Sections 420 and 34.
Project Director of District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Kendrapada Dilip Parida said, trees were found to be mostly non-existent during an inquiry after which the district administration recommended Panchayat Raj department to suspend the sarpanch for his involvement in the plantation scam.
Contacted, IIC of Rajnagar police station Tapan Nayak said, police are investigating the case. The suspended sarpanch could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
The plantation scam is said to be the tip of the iceberg in the district, alleged Umesh Chandra Singh, president of the district unit of Krusak Sabha.
Last year, an RTI activist exposed an NGO which had misappropriated around Rs 25 lakh of Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZMP) fund in a clear nexus with forest officials by not planting mangrove trees in the forest.