CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has expressed concern over delays by government authorities in disposing of applications, observing that a “reluctant or lethargic attitude” in such matters adversely affects execution of public works and the public at large.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice MS Raman observed this while disposing of a petition filed by an ‘A’ class contractor engaged in construction work on embankment of Kathajodi river. The petitioner, having emerged as the successful bidder for the project, had applied to the mining officer, Cuttack Circle, on October 22, 2025 for grant of a quarry permit for ordinary earth for six months.
According to the petitioner, a right is created in a contractor executing a public work to obtain such a permit, as the sand/ordinary earth is required solely for execution of the project. Despite the passage of time, no decision was taken on the application, prompting the contractor to approach the high court seeking issuance of a direction to the mining officer to consider and dispose of the application within a stipulated period. The writ petition was affirmed on January 7, 2026, indicating that till then the application remained unattended.
During the hearing, additional government advocate Debashis Tripathy produced a letter dated January 8, 2026 issued by the mining officer, requisitioning the petitioner to submit certain documents, including original affidavits, for verification. Though the letter did not prescribe a timeline, the bench noted that it could be “reasonably inferred that the authorities, on sensing that the petitioner approached the court, have activated the process in order to avoid any stringent order.”
“Time has come for authorities to be reminded of their solemn duties to dispose of grievances within a reasonable timeframe,” the judges observed and warned that delay in granting quarry permits for public works hampers timely execution and deprives the public of intended benefits. They also remarked that the government must introspect and ponder upon such issue in bringing some sense of accountability in discharging of the duties by the public officers.
The bench further directed the mining officer to dispose of the application within two weeks and communicate the decision immediately.
State rapped for withholding anganwadi worker’s salary
Cuttack: The Orissa HC came down heavily on government authorities for failing to pay salary to an anganwadi worker despite taking her services, holding that the state must act as a model employer and cannot deprive an employee of her livelihood by administrative delay.
The single judge bench of Justice Ananda Chandra Behera on Tuesday observed that the state and its officers are duty-bound to protect the constitutional rights of citizens and cannot withhold wages after availing services. Justice Behera directed the authorities to clear all arrear salaries of the anganwadi worker within 15 days, warning of interest liability in case of default.
Puspanjali Sahoo was appointed as an anganwadi worker on July 24, 2025 at the anganwadi centre no 6 under Prathmakhandi GP in Rasulpur block of Jajpur district. She had sought the court’s intervention alleging that her salary was yet to be disbursed although she had been discharging her duties continuously and regularly. The court directed that all arrear salaries payable to the petitioner are cleared within 15 days.