In RTI replies, collectors feign ignorance about V.K. Pandian’s ‘extravaganza’ tours in Odisha
Activists expressed surprise over unavailability of information about those visits though those were “official” and conducted with the approval of former CM Patnaik
Former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik with his close aide and bureaucrat-turned-politician V.K. Pandian in Bhubaneswar. File photo
| Photo Credit: Biswaranjan Rout
Whirlwind tours of various districts in 2023 by V.K. Pandian, a close aide of former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, caused quite a stir for which Mr. Patnaik had to defend these visits on the floor of the House, stating that they had his approval. Ironically, many district collectors now claim ignorance about those visits.
Also read: V.K. Pandian, once a powerful figure in the BJD government, retires from active politics
In response to queries asked under Right Information Act, collectors of Sambalpur, Malkangiri, Puri, and Kendrapaara said they had no information about visits.
Pradip Pradhan, an RTI activist, had sought information on visit of Mr. Pandian wherein the district officials were present, expenditure incurred and total grievance petitions received. In response to the RTI application, the assistant collector (Nizarat) submitted that non information in the matter was available regarding expenditure, date of visit, and law and order.
When Pratap Chandra Mohanty, another RTI applicant, moved the Malkanagiri district collector on similar questions, the district’s assistant collector replied, “We are public information officer level, are not able to provide information… We don’t have information about his purpose of his all visits. Circulars of his visits are not found.” The Malkangiri district administration also informed it did not have any documentary proof or evidence of expenditure made.
Curiously, Malkangiri district administration had forwarded RTI application to Chief Minister’s Office for clarification, but the information was denied on the ground that the application was not forwarded in proper channel.
To a similar application submitted by Mr. Pradhan, Kendrapara district collector also informed that his office did not have any available on Mr. Pandian’s visit. Identical reply was also received from Puri district collector.
In the year 2023, the former 2000-batch IAS officer had toured almost all districts of the State and covered short distances by chartered flights. Then Opposition had questioned the authority of Mr. Pandian and need to undertake such extravaganza visits. The tours used to be usually well coordinated. Venues were well barricaded and covered.
On September 25, 2023, the former CM defended visits by Mr. Pandian saying those were intended at speedy grievance redressal of grievances in a four-page clarification. He had gone on to say that the mammoth exercise was carried out in more than 190 locations over a period of six months while every day three to five venues were covered and in the process 57,442 petitions were collected from the people, and as on date 43,536 petitions have been resolved or disposed of.
On criticism that Mr. Pandian had extensively used helicopters to hop from one place to another, former Odisha CM had said, in the last three and half years ₹40 crore was spent on chopper while on an average ₹1 to 1.5 crore is spent on chopper every month.
“Then BJD government and Mr. Pandian had hoodwinked entire Opposition and people. Did the government have any other mechanism other than district administrations to receive grievances? District collectors were nodal persons for routing of grievances,” RTI activist Mr. Pradhan said.
He said, “If collectors are now feigning ignorance about such visits, the present government must institute a probe as to how funds were channelled for conducting grievance redressals and how people were mobilized to venues of Mr. Pandian’s meetings.”
Activists alleged that the tours appeared to act of misuse of power as authorities were reluctant to share expenditures made on those grievance redressal sessions.
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