BIDAR: Their never-say-die attitude helped three women win a battle against corrupt officials.
Saraswati Rajkumar Meti, Padmini Kayak Bandhu and Kavita Deepaka of Janawada village in Bidar taluk fought for 77 others who were deprived of employment as well as other allowances by two officials.
The 77 people had submitted Form No. 6 seeking employment at Janawada gram panchayat on February 24. They also sought unemployment allowance from the gram panchayat under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
On February 28, zilla panchayat ombudsman Dr Nandakumar T directed PDO Neelakanth Biradar and Bidar taluk panchayat executive officer Shivaji Dhone to give Rs 66,990 as unemployment allowance to the three women and 77 others within 15 days, as per the MGNREGA norms. He also warned of criminal action against the officials if the amount was not disbursed within the stipulated time.
Neelakanth did not heed the directive. Though the action plan was approved and funds were available, his negligence led to non-distribution of the unemployment allowances.
Sources said the three women lodged a complaint at zilla panchayat ombudsman office on June 13. A case was registered at ombudsman office under MGNREGA 2005, Act 7.
The ombudsman gave the taluk panchayat executive officer time till November 11, but did not receive a response. This is when the ombudsman treated it as the irresponsibility of the taluk panchayat officer.
The officials were asked to pay the amount from their own pockets — PDO Neelakanth was to pay Rs 50,242 and Shivaji Dhone was to pay Rs 16,747.
Nandakumar told Express over the phone that the verdict is the first of its kind in the district and added that since August 2013 to December, he received 139 complaints regarding MGNREGA. So far 80 complaints have been solved and a penalty of Rs 18 lakh has been imposed. Nandakumar said he had also given orders to suspend 12 PDOs and JEs among other officials.