Collector powers in hand, sarpanchs in Odidhs flout coronavirus mask rule
JAGATSINGHPUR: With great power comes great responsibility. But for sarpanchs, who have been bestowed upon the powers of a district Collector by the State Government, this adage holds little meaning.
Instead of helping the Government in containing the coronavirus spread, some panchayat heads have been found violating the face mask mandate.
Raghunathpur sarpanch Pramod Kumar Jena was recently fined by police for not wearing mask while roaming outside.
Jena was moving in the local market when police fined him Rs 200. Similarly, Jagatsinghpur IIC Rajanikant Mishra caught Baragol sarpanch Subhranta Kumar Swain roaming outside on Wednesday without wearing mask. He too was fined.
Additional Tehsildar of Raghunathpur Manas Ranjan Tripathy said a fine of Rs 4,800 has been collected from violators including the two sarpanchs. “We are raiding different rural markets to ensure that shops remain closed. Besides, the local administration is distributing masks in all the villages under 19 panchayats of Raghunathpur,” he added.
Sources said majority of the sarpanchs and other elected representatives like panchayat samiti, ward and Zilla Parishad members are not wearing face masks while moving in different villages. Social activist Gobind Ojha said as elected representatives are not taking precautionary measures, the general public too are not adhering to the rules.
“Sarpanchs and other panchayat office bearers should strictly obey the Government directives on coronavirus in order to bring a change in the attitude of villagers. Stern action should be taken against the violators,” he said.
Earlier this month, the Government delegated the powers of a Collector to sarpanchs for effective implementation of the roadmap for migrant returnees by community-based monitoring system involving the gram panchayats.
Business establishments dealing with non-essential goods remain closed in Jagatsinghpur and Paradip municipalities due to frequent raids both police and Civil Supply officials but in rural areas, all kinds of shops including saloons and restaurants are open leading to gathering of people. Last week, Kujang police arrested 12 shopkeepers including the owners of a saloon and betel outlet for doing business at Balitutha bazaar during lockdown.