Sources said, Dalvin Group was managing the canteen for the last five years. However, the catering agent absconded a few days ago without paying Rs 50 lakh which was pending as dues. Meanwhile, closure of the canteen has resulted in unforeseen problems for the visitors.
The agency was given the catering contract in 2013. During the period, the agency had accumulated over Rs 50 lakh in dues on account of unpaid house rent, electricity and water bills which are collected by the State government.
It is alleged that some high-level officials of the Odisha Bhawan are hand in gloves with the catering agency. When asked, Odisha Bhawan OSD Krupanidhi Biswal said the State Home Department will furnish reply.
Refuting the allegations, the agency stated that the canteen was closed since it was running at a loss.
The Prabasi Odias also organised a protest rally near the Jagannath Temple in Thyagraj Nagar in New Delhi. Holding placards in their hands they demanded Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to reconsider the decision and withdraw the suspension order immediately.
Moreover they demanded that Patnaik should conduct a probe into the conspiracy against Panda.
"We the Prabasi Odias staying in Delhi strongly protest and condemn the decision taken by the BJD Supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik against our honourable MP Baijayant Panda," said a Bibhu Prasad Sahu.
MP Panda was suspended from the primary membership of BJD on January 24 on charges of anti-party activities. BJD Vice President & Minister Surya Narayan Patro made the announcement at a press meet in Bhubaneswar citing that Panda started indulging in ‘anti-party’ activities soon after the party disapproved his suggestion to propose his name for the chairmanship of the Lok Sabha Finance Standing Committee.
Room 203 on the second floor of the building had caught fire on August 3 due to suspected short circuit. But the fire fighting equipment present inside the building was defunct. It was revealed after fire tender units doused the flames.
After OTV broadcasted the news, Home Department had sprung into action.
Last year, a similar fire mishap had taken place at the guest house following which fire department of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) issued a notice asking the management to update its fire NOC.
A second notice was also issued to the management of Odisha Bhawan on August 7 after the latest incident.
Odisha Bhawan is a G+4 (ground plus four storey) structure built mainly with the idea to benefit cancer patients from the state, particularly those who are not financially well off and face problems arranging for accommodation in Mumbai.
The state guest house, which was built in 2011 with an aim to benefit cancer patients from the State, recently caught fire due to suspected short circuit. Soon after, the fire department of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) slapped a notice on the Odisha Bhawan management.
NMMC claimed that the fire fighting equipment present inside the building are defunct.
Last year, a similar fire mishap had taken place at the guest house following which NMMC issued a notice asking the management to update its fire NOC.
Also Read: Fire breaks out at Odisha Bhawan in Mumbai
Meanwhile, people are crying foul over the facilities at the Bhawan- poor quality of food, unhygienic rooms and others.
On the other hand, manager of the Bhawan Krupanidhi Biswal said he has written to the Home department and appraised it about the problems. "I am just a manager here, I have no official power to carry out any work," he added.
According to sources, the fire was reported at Room no 203 on the second floor of Odisha Bhawan.
Soon, fire tender units rushed to the spot and were pressed into service to douse the flames.
Though the exact cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained, fire personnel suspect short circuit to have triggered the incident.
However, no casualties have been reported so far.
Odisha Bhawan, the state guest house in Navi Mumbai, is a G+4 (ground plus four storey) structure built mainly with the idea to benefit cancer patients from the state, particularly those who are not financially well off and face problems arranging for accommodation in Mumbai.
In a letter to Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Patnaik has urged for restoring the land adjoining Odisha Bhawan, originally allotted to Odisha Government and subsequently leased out to a petrol pump.
Though Odisha had initiated a number of steps to promote Odia cuisine at the National Capital, restricted entry of public was made to Odisha Niwas canteen due to ‘space constraints’.
The physical area of Odisha Bhawan is also too small in comparison to other adjoining State Bhawans and half of the land allotted to Odisha originally has now been leased to a petrol pump.
Also Read: Gopal Krishna Gandhi: Naveen chooses friend over politics for VP polls
“There seems to be no justification for the said petrol pump as there are two operating petrol pumps adjoining each other. Hence, the original land allotted to us be restored back so that we can add capacity to our State Bhawan,” Patnaik wrote in the letter.
Naveen Patnaik also reiterated for allotment of nearly 2,000 to 3,000 sqft of land for setting up a Culture centre, which could play crucial role in showcasing rich cultural heritage of Odisha.
Established in 2010, the government guest house had aimed at catering to the needs of patients coming from Odisha for better treatment, tourists and students. But officials are doing little except maintenance work for the last two to three years, sources alleged.
Tourists from the metropolis, who come to the office of Odisha Bhawan seeking information about important places in Odisha, have to return empty handed as the office remains locked.
"I found some tourist places like Konark, Sri Jagannath temple from the website of Odisha Tourism. I planned to visit these places and came here to get detailed information. But I found the office locked," said a tourist.
"If a government office is closed then where would we go for information. If we go to a private agent, he may cheat us," she rued.
The Odia people who are coming to the metro city to attend some cultural events, also find it difficult to get an accommodation at affordable price.
"Many people, both Odias and non-Odias, are enquiring about Odisha Bhawan and the tourism office. We usually show them the office. But they have to return as the office remains closed always", Jyoti Mohapatra, owner of a Sambalpuri handloom shop adjacent to the guest house, said.
"I do not know why the office has remained closed for so long," he added.
However, the State tourism department, which is aware of the problem, is planning to reopen the office at the earliest.
"Yes, we are aware of it. We are planning to give it out in PPP mode so that it remains open every day and carters to the needs of tourists," said State Tourism minister Ashok Panda.
Built over 2,761 square metres, the guest house is a G+4 (ground plus four storeys) structure, having 24 air-conditioners fitted to the entire building, double bedroom rooms, three dormitories of six beds each, four suites, apart from an air-conditioned multi-purpose hall, a library, four shops and other facilities.
The Odisha tourism department is paying Rs 40,000 per month as rent to Maharastra government for the facility.
Interestingly, at a time when the old one remains unutilised, the Odisha chief minister had in January this year approached his Maharashtra counterpart to provide one acre of land to construct a second Odisha Bhawan in the metropolitan city.
They have requested the Chief Minister to provide oxygen cylinders, which is the need of the hour in the national Capital, and other relevant kits required for the Covid-19 treatment.
In a letter to Patnaik, Delhi Prabasi Odia Mahamanch director Gobardhan Dhal has urged for immediate assistance for the Odias residing here. He mentioned that Delhi is battling with worst Covid-19 situation amid a complete collapse of health infrastructure. At this time Odia people who need immediate medical emergency are struggling to get a bed or admission at hospital.
If Odisha government sends minimum 200 oxygen cylinders, regulators and kits through Odisha Bhawan, the same can be made available to the needy so that many lives can be saved, Dhal said.
“Situation in Delhi is now very precarious. Especially migrant Odia people who are suffering from Covid-19 are grappling with acute oxygen shortage as almost all hospitals are expressing their inability to provide oxygen. Several hospitals have closed emergency services and stopped admission due to shortage of beds,” Dhal added.
“We, therefore request Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to convert the Odisha Sadan here into a Covid care centre having oxygen faculties so that we can accommodate Covid patients who are in need of oxygen. Otherwise, the CM should send the oxygen cylinders to us so that we can reach out to the needy Odia patients at their home,” he added.
Nobody comes forward for the last rites of the people who are dying of Covid. The Odia Mahamanch had requested the Government earlier to provide assistance for the last rites of Odia victims. The government has assured to assist in this regard, Dhal said.
However, we are yet to receive any response regarding oxygen, Covid-19 kit for the patients, he pointed out.
As per the allegations levelled, the authorities of Odisha Bhawan refused to provide space for storing relief materials following which the members of Prabasi Odia Samaj had to keep the materials in Kerala Bhawan.
"The authorities at Odisha Bhawan refused to keep the relief materials because of which we were forced to approach Kerala Bhawan which gave us permission to store the materials," said a Prabasi Odia, Gadadhar Behera.
Reportedly, a complaint in this regard has been lodged with the National Human Rights Commission, Chief Minister's Office and the Prime Minister's Office by the Prabasi Odia Samaj. When asked about the issue, the manager of Odisha Bhawan said that they didn't have permission to allow relief materials to be kept inside the building.
A notification, issued by the state Home Department, said Ravi Kant has been given new assignment in New Delhi.
The 1998 batch officer is currently serving as an officer in special duty.
According to government sources, Kant is the first appointee to the special resident commissioner post at Odisha Bhawan.
Odisha governor Ganeshi Lal had, earlier, approved Kant's new assignment.