Vikash Sharma

Bhubaneswar: Resentment surfaced among Biju Yuva Vahini members over alleged irregularities and lapses during the mega regional conference held under the scheme at Bolangir yesterday.

Several activists expressed their dissatisfaction over arrangements at the regional conference held at Bolangir yesterday. Without food and water, several activists were forced to starve while others had to buy food from their own pockets, it has been alleged.

Unprecedented scenes unfolded at the central kitchen set up at Bolangir ITI ground for the mega conference after several hungry Biju Yuva Vahini members were seen running away with half-cooked food items out of desperation. A video of such ruckus scenes emerged yesterday where the members were seen fleeing with raw meat from the kitchen. Though the project director refused to comment on such lapses, Ramadutta Bhoi, BDO of Bolangir Sadar admitted such incidents.

“Earlier a committee was formed to oversee all arrangements. But there were some lapses towards the end of the event,” said Bhoi.

Abhijit Panda, assistant project director said, “As all vehicles reached at around 12:30 PM, the food packets and other surplus items were taken away. Our mistake was centralisation of the kitchen.”

Pramod Kaled, Biju Yuva Vahini president from Chalki panchayat alleged “We had come for the Bolangir conference of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik but we were taken to Puri for the KALIA scheme programme. We do not have any farmer IDs.”

scrollToTop