Protest in Odisha village after Junior Engineer ‘asks to join BJD’ to get developmental projects

Hundreds of residents of Kankadajodi panchayat under Baramba block in Cuttack district on Tuesday staged a demonstration at the block office against a junior engineer while accusing her of forcing them to join the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) to get developmental projects in their panchayat. 

The Sarpanch of Kankadajodi panchayat and ward members too joined the protest. The agitating people demanded transfer of the junior engineer, Sabita Dhal. 

They alleged that ‘Sabita Dhal is forcing them to join the BJD if they want developmental works in their panchayat’. She also reportedly said that no developmental works would take place in their panchayat without the approval of the MLA and the Block chairman, the protestors alleged. 

They also alleged that the junior engineer is paying no heed to what the Sarpanch tells her. Demanding immediate transfer of junior engineer Dhal, Kankadajodi panchayat’s Sarpanch Sita Das, ward members and locals staged a sit-in at the block office. 

“The local MLA, Zilla Parishad President and Block Chairman have asked her (Sabita Dhal) to put all sorts of developmental works in our panchayat on hold till all the panchayat residents join the BJD. Now people of my panchayat want to know about the status of all the proposed developmental works. I am in a fix. I don’t have any answer to their questions,” said Sita Das. 

The agitators called off their strike only after the block development officer (BDO) intervened and assured them of justice. “They have leveled allegations against the JE and demanded her transfer. We will take the issue seriously and stringent action will be taken against her if the allegation is found to be true,” said Badamba BDO, Ramesh Jena.

Meanwhile, the response of Sabita Dhal could not be obtained over the allegations levelled against her.

(Reported by Sarbeswar Swain, OTV)