ROURKELA: Even as a proposal of the Sundargarh Police District (SPD) to set up new police stations is gathering dust for a decade, the Home department has sought the reply of local MLA Kusum Tete on the need for establishing more police stations in her constituency.
The move came after Tete raised the issue in the Odisha Legislative Assembly citing need for more police facilities in Sundargarh on February 22. In response to her demand, additional chief secretary of Home department shot off a letter to the legislator on February 27.
The move has surprised those familiar with the proposal mooted by SPD, which in 2011, had urged the department to upgrade four police outposts at Kuanrmunda, Nuagaon, Sargipali and Bandega into full-fledged police stations and create new ones at Subdega and Mangaspur.
Sources said the jurisdiction of SPD is spread over Sundargarh, Talsara, Rajgangpur and a major portion of Birmitrapur. It shares a vast border with crime-prone Simdega district of Jharkhand besides Raigarh and Jashpur of Chhattisgarh. But, absence of adequate manpower and infrastructure has made it tough for SPD, which has only 15 police stations under its jurisdiction, to control criminal activities.
Tete said she is not fully aware of the proposal of the SPD and added she had pointed out the need for strengthening policing in her constituency by setting up more facilities. Birmitrapur MLA Shankar Oram, whose constituency is the worst affected due to activities perpetrated by criminals from Jharkhand, said it is ridiculous that the Home department is ‘deliberately’ silent over SPD’s proposal.
Oram said he had raised the issue before Home Minister Dibyashankar Mishra, who recently assured him of action on upgradation of certain outposts and creation of new police stations.
BEO, clerk held for graft
Rourkela: Hemgir Block Education Officer (BEO) Surendra Sahoo (41) and a junior clerk Biranchi Khillei were arrested by the Vigilance department for allegedly demanding and accepting bribe of `35,000 from headmaster of Sahaspur upper primary school Narayan Bagh to prevent departmental action against him over delay in submission of utilisation certificates.
Sources said Bagh, who had not submitted the utilisation certificates of his school for 2010 paid the bribe to Khillei who accepted it on behalf of Sahu. The BEO’s office in Hemgir and residence in Lefripara block of Sundargarh district were searched. Sahoo’s arrest came as a surprise to many as he is known as a hard working official and has been credited with implementing several innovative measures to ensure continuation of education during lockdown last year.