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Rayagada’s district administration currently faces turbulent times as the Collector and District Welfare Officer locked horns by bringing corruption allegations against each other, sources said on Sunday.
According to the sources, accusations have been made by the district welfare officer (DWO) Asima Rao who claims she was relieved of duties and it was a direct result of her refusal to engage in corrupt practices, which were insisted by the Collector.
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DWO Rao asserts that the District Collector inflated the bills of supplies for hostels to double the standard rates. She has sought redressal from the Orissa High Court in Cuttack, seeking to challenge her removal from office as unlawful.
“As per guidelines of the State Government and on behalf of the Department, we used to procure different items (such as beds, cots, and utensils) for hostel inmates confirming to EPM (Export Promotion and Marketing) rate contract and specifications,” DWO Rao said.
“However, the Collector had been insisting me to purchase at much higher rates to the extent of almost double. The file was processed before I came here, and on the first day of my joining, she pressurised me to sign the file and return it to her,” the DWO alleged.
Even, the District Collector had wanted the duly signed file by 10.00 PM at night.
“As I had refused to act according to her instructions and when I said that I would sign only after going through the details in the file, she got annoyed and scolded me and shouted at me inside her chamber. Then, I told her of feeling harassed,” the DWO stated.
“I have already given my complaint in writing to the Department Minister, met the Principal Secretary and brought it to the higher-up’s knowledge. They have assured me to conduct a detailed probe into the matter,” the DWO added.
On the contrary, the District Collector’s office has accused the DWO of irregularities, issuing five show-cause notices to her within two months.
When contacted, Rayagada Collector Parul Patawari expressed, “We have issued five show-cause notices to the lady (DWO Rao) in the last two months. She does not come to her office regularly. She never attends any meetings, submits any reports, and takes part in any of the grievance hearing meetings. Hence, we have relieved her from duties.”
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“We need an active DWO here; otherwise the district is losing a lot. She is working only on teacher transfer files. It is purely an administrative decision to relieve an officer who is not working. This is not a new thing and has been done earlier also,” the Collector said.
“Being a DWO, one has to be proactive, since this is a tribal-dominated district. Otherwise, it is too difficult on the part of a district head to work. She is blowing the things out of the proportion. We have the proof of all her irregularities,” the Collector asserted.
