Vacant posts stall official works

JAGATSINGHPUR: Development activities have taken a severe beating in the coastal district of Jagatsinghpur as several posts of Block Development Officer (BDO) and Tehsildar are lying vacant.
Local people are facing problems in getting their important works done at block and tehsil offices as both the posts have remained vacant since long. Works like construction of village roads and implementation of poverty alleviation programmes are put on the backburner.

According to the sources, out of eight blocks, BDO posts are lying vacant in Jagatsinghpur, Balikuda and Biridi. Similarly, of eight tehsil offices, tehsildar posts are lying vacant in Balikuda, Naugaon, Raghunathpur and Tirtol. Additional Tehsildars are managing the affairs of these tehsils. Villagers of Balikuda block are the worst sufferers as both BDO and tehsiladar posts are lying vacant since long. Despite several requests, the district administration is yet to take steps in this regard.

Due to vacancy of BDO posts, distribution of old age and widow pensions, construction of houses under Mo Kudia, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and IAY, road connectivity works and other developmental activities have been paralysed in Jagatsinghpur, Balikuda and Biridi blocks. Nearly 12,446 beneficiaries have been deprived of getting their old age and widow pensions for several months.

The locals alleged that hundreds of villagers visit the tehsil offices for their revenue works including land mutation, verification of land records and obtaining caste, residential, legal heir and income certificates, but return with empty hands.

This apart, large scale vacancy of Revenue Inspectors (RI), Assistant Revenue Inspectors (ARIs) and Amins has aggravated the situation paralysing the revenue works completely. Out of 82 RI posts, only 32 are working in the offices, while of 70 ARIs, 45 posts are lying vacant. Similarly, out of 54 Amins, only seven are working for the entire district delaying the land measurement and settlement works. Out of four Deputy Collector posts in the collectorate, three posts in revenue, election and emergency departments have been lying vacant since long.

The locals said vacancy in RI posts has affected both revenue collection and assessment of crop damage in the district. Thousands of land disputes have been pending in different tehsils due to acute shortage of Amins.

Protesting the administration’s apathy, hundreds of beneficiaries led by panchayat samiti member Suvendu Bhol recently staged ‘Jal Satyagraha’ (standing in river water) in Balikuda block. They demanded immediate posting of officials in these blocks and tehsils.

Deputy Collector (Establishment) Diptirekha Barik said additional tehsildars and ABDOs are in-charge of Tehsildar and BDO posts. Higher officials have been apprised about the issue. However, the process to fill up RI and ARI posts has been stalled due to a writ petition filed at Orissa High Court, she added.