SHG women protest non-payment of temple construction bill, accuse BJD minister of seeking kickback

The members of a women Self Help Group (SHG) staged a dharna in front of Thakurmunda Block office under Mayurbhanj district on Friday.

They alleged non-payment of their dues in the construction of a Shiva Temple in their area.

As per reports, the women SHG from Champajhara panchayat under the Block was given the work order to construct a Shiva Temple in their area.

They finished the construction of the temple by taking loans from various sources. But the bill amount has not been disbursed by the authorities for the last one year despite repetitive requests by the SHG stoking resentment among them, it was alleged.

The women had also knocked on the Orissa High Court’s door in this connection following which the court had ordered the District Collector and BDO to clear their bill after proper verification within 15 days.

But it has been three months since the court order, and no steps have been taken by the Block office to pay them the bill amount.

“We have constructed a temple as instructed by the authorities. They had assured us to provide money from a fund. But the money was diverted to another work and we remained unpaid,” said a local of Champajhara Ratnakar Sahu.

“The High Court ordered the Collector to pay us money within 15 days. But the authorities are defying the court order too. It has been seven months, we are yet to get our dues. Even the Minister Basanti Hembram is demanding bribe of Rs 1 lakh for signing on the bill,” he alleged.

“We want Rs 5 lakh earlier sanctioned to us for the construction of temple. We have been sitting on dharna since yesterday. But neither the BDO nor the JE have come to us to discuss the matter,” said a member of the SHG.

No comments could be obtained from the officials at the Block office in this connection.