Investigation into the alleged irregularities in the construction of toilets and utilisation of funds in Puintala block of Bolangir district has begun. Acting on the direction of the district Collector, a special team conducted raid at room no-102 of a lodge at Koshala Square in Bolangir town which was allegedly used to be the address of the RWSS department’s junior engineer Manoj Majhi’s office.
The raid is going on for two days now.
It is alleged that Majhi, employing a contractor of his acquaintance, had misappropriated the money meant for toilets for beneficiaries in villages under Puintala block. In the villages, the eligible beneficiaries have not got toilets as yet and those who have, are reportedly constructed with sub-standard construction materials.
Acting on the allegation, the police had earlier sealed room no-102 of the lodge. During the raid, the Sub-Collector, SDO of RWSS department and the members of the special team were taken aback to see piles of documents and seals that should have been in the block office.
When asked, the Sub-Collector said acting on the allegation about toilet scam in Puintalal block, a room of a lodge was being raided. “We have found the documents and bill forms kept in the room and we are analyzing them to see if they would help us in our investigation,” he said.
When asked about recovering of official documents from a lodge room, he said, “Official papers, documents and seals should never in any case be taken to somewhere else. We are investigating into it.”
Similarly, SDO of the RWSS department said they had found documents including the bill forms of Puintala block from room no-102 of the lodge. He termed the recovery of official documents and papers from the lodge room as illegal.