Report by Badal Tah; Rayagada : Leaders of Odisha Non-Gezzeted Forest Service Association’s(ONFSA) Rayagada Unit has placed several demands before Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Forest, Environment & Climate Change, Labour, Employees State Insurance during his recent visit to Rayagada.
A forester was found hanging in his government quarters located here in Kalahandi district. The deceased forester, identified as Sanjay Nayak, 33, a native of Sundhisahi in Rayagada district, was serving at the High-Tech Silviculture Nursery at Jaring in Junagarh block. He also held the additional responsibility of the Range Officer in charge of the Silviculture Office in Bhawanipatna. Sanjay’s wife Priyanka Subudhi and brother informed that Sanjay was mentally tortured by Silviculturist-cum-DFO, Rayagada Debendra Behera, who was demanding bribe and threatening to transfer and even suspend Nayak if he did not budge to his demands. The suicide note also corroborated with the charges framed by Nayak’s wife & brother.
ONFSA office bearers led by its President Pradeep Kumar Sahu & Secretary Labanya Majhi submitted a memorandum to Minister Khuntia demanding a transparent inquiry of the charges leveled against DFO Behera by Economic Offence Wing of Odisha Govt or any other investigating agency of GOI. Other demands include immediate transfer & suspension of DFO Behera with required administrative action to avoid unnecessary interference by him at Rayagada during inquiry, compensation amounting Rs.One Crore to Nayak’s wife & rehabilitating with a suitable job in the deptt, instituting a criminal case against DFO.
Minister Khuntia also paid a visit to deceased Nayak’s house and consoled Priyanka, who has twin daughters, mother & bother and assured all possible help. In the mean time, Mohan Govt has ordered for a high level departmental inquiry of the episode.
“The office of the Silviculture at Rayagada under the leadership of DFO(Research) is engrossed with several irregularities like money amassment, bribery & gratification. As charged by Nayak’s wife, her husband out of fear paid around Rs.Ten lakhs in installments to DFO Behera as a part of gratification. The decision by present Mohan Govt to institute a high level departmental inquiry will certainly render justice to the victim’s family members of Nayak and open the Pandora Box in the Silviculture Office, which is the epitome of mammoth corruption in the district”, opined Deepak Kumar Prusty, President GCD Walkers’ Club, Rayagada.
