Instances are galore!

A Collector constructs path way for morning walk inside the residence out of the funds collected from mining areas for peripheral development.

Air conditioners were purchased to make cooler the official residence of the Collector from such funds.

Another Collector spends a large sum of amount from NREGS funds to set up a garden in the residence.

CAG recently has come down heavily on the issue of wrong way of utilization of NREGS funds.

After repeated circulars as not to convene any meeting during the Assembly session goes unheeded by Collectors.

So on 24 July, the District Magistrate of Dhenkanal faced the fury of the lawmakers in Odisha House.

“Collectors in various districts have turn out to be the Law of the Land”, alleged Amar Prasad Satapathy, NCP Legislative Party Leader.

Mr.Satapathy while demanding exemplary action against the erring officials rues the laxity on the part of the Higher Bureaucracy to tame the younger lot.

“In fact Collectors in the districts, mostly in tribal and far flung areas have become the “Law of the Land”, alleged a senior MLA of the ruling BJD.

“This is because there is nobody to control them and Higher Bureaucracy is busy with meetings and reviews at the State Secretariat”, alleged another lawmaker from the regional outfit.

“They lack discipline and most of them are so arrogant and abrasive that they are beyond reach of ours”, said a lawmaker, who is returning to the House since 80’s.

After the new government took over on 21 May, 2009, since then there have been no Collectors’ Conference and in the State Secretariat no body bothers about it, he rued.

However a Principal Secretary rejects the idea to held Collectors Conference at State Secretariat.

“Now collectors are advised in video conference and it has much needed impact on them”, said the Principal Secretary.

Peoples’ Representatives feel that “video conference has little impact on these young administrators and most of them are running the districts as their “fiefdom”.

Take for example a Collector issues verbal orders to CSO to “teach a lesson” to a Rice Miller.

The CSO acts immediately.

The hapless Miller brings it to the notice of the Minister Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Welfare.

Now the entire department is at loss as to how to tackle the matter because rice worth crores of rupees are lying in the premises of the Miller and with the rains these food stuffs will be spoiled.

And the State Government will face huge loss.

While situation in the field level turning from bad to worse, top administrators seems to be turning blind eye to the issues.

No wonder maladministration is crippling the system and people are at the receiving end, feel lawmakers cutting across party line.