9 more Govt officials given compulsory retirement in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Another nine officials in the State Government have been given compulsory retirement on grounds of corruption and gross inefficiency in Odisha.

Showing zero tolerance towards corruption and inefficiency, the Government of Odisha today compulsorily retired nine senior officials in various ranks from services with immediate effect.

Of nine officials, while seven have been terminated for corruption cases, remaining two have been dismissed for their inefficiency in delivering their duties.

While two officials in Mines Department, one Forest official and one Assistant Engineer were prematurely retired today, five officials were given compulsory retirement a few days ago.

The tainted officials included Madan Mohan Biswal, Deputy Director of Mines Department; Ramesh Chandra Mahalik, a Group-A officer in Mines; Prashant Kumar Nayak, Forest Range Officer, Muralibahal, Balangir; Narayan Pradhan, Assistant Engineer, Public Health, Sundargarh district; Lakhman Kumar Pradhan, Assistant Conservator Forest (ACF); Bharat Kumar Ghadei, Forest Range officer; and Pradeep KUmar Bhoi, Labour officer, Rayagada district.

While nine vigilance cases have been registered against Madan Mohan Biswal, Ramesh Chandra Mahalik was booked by Vigilance in four cases.

Similarly, Forest Range officer Prashant Nayak is accused of accumulating wealth worth Rs 1.40 crore disproportinate to his known source of income.

Assistant Engineer Narayan Pradhan was sacked from service as he was booked in a DA case. The Vigilance had found Rs 2.20 crore unaccounted properties, four buildings in Deogarh district and 31 lands in Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul and Khordha districts during search.

Besides, two vigilance cases have been lodged against ACF Lakhman Pradhan, three corruption cases against Forest Range officer Bharat Ghadei and one vigilance case has been filed against Labour officer Pradeep Bhoi.

Another two officers, who were forced to retire from services, are — Sharat Kumar Choudhury, Joint Labour Commissioner, Bhubaneswar; and Namita Das, Divisional Labour Commissioner, Gajapati district.

With nine officials, total 113 have been given compulsory retirement so far for graft charges and inefficiency in services in the State Government.