Public Grievance Hearing Camp Held in Kakatpur Block
Kakatpur, 24/07 – The state government has been organizing public grievance hearing camps to directly connect with common citizens, ensuring that all the facilities and schemes offered by the government reach the people on time. These camps aim to resolve long-pending issues by allowing citizens to voice their grievances directly before responsible officials, with discussions held on why work has been delayed and immediate steps taken to provide justice to the needy. Senior officers manage these camps to ensure smooth execution.
However, in Kakatpur block, over the past few years, such grievance hearing camps organized under the directive of the District Collector have reportedly become mere formalities. Due to the lack of adequate publicity before the camp, fewer complaints were registered than expected. Moreover, it was observed that some officials disregarded the Collector’s instructions and were absent from the camp. The most concerning issue is that neither the District Collector nor the SP have attended the camp in recent years. As a result, only the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) and SDPO were present, which many claim has affected the quality and resolution of the grievances.
People complain that these hearings have turned into a farce, where files pile up but actual work doesn’t get done. There is also dissatisfaction among PRI (Panchayati Raj Institution) members, as they were reportedly not invited to the event.
According to sources, during the grievance hearing camp held last Monday, a total of 61 complaints were registered, out of which 42 were heard. Many locals believe the Collector’s grievance hearing in Kakatpur block has now lost its essence and seriousness. The hearing was held at the block conference hall in the absence of the District Collector and SP. It was attended by ADM Kailash Chandra Nayak, CDO-cum-EO Zilla Parishad Jyotishankar Mahapatra, DPO Balaram Patra, Deputy Collector (Grievance) Priyadarshini Mallik, Deputy Collector (Emergency) Jitendra Kumar Behera, Project Officer, Nimapada Sub-Divisional Police Officer Debashis Mishra, Kakatpur Tehsildar Biranji Narayan Behera, Block Chairman Sridhar Nayak, BDO Tushar Jyotiranjan, APO Tofan Kumar Sahu, along with other block and departmental officers.
Among the 61 registered complaints, which covered issues related to housing schemes, roads, irrigation, excise, allowances, health, water, and sanitation, 42 were resolved on the spot. The remaining 19 were forwarded to the concerned departments for further action, according to ADM Nayak.
However, due to the absence of officers from key departments such as Rural Development, Excise, Labour, Horticulture, and Electricity, ADM Nayak expressed his dissatisfaction. It was stressed that for future grievance camps to be effective, proper publicity should be ensured in advance, and the presence of the District Collector, SP, and other senior departmental officers must be prioritized. Without this, grievances may remain buried in files, defeating the purpose of the hearings. This concern has now become a widely discussed topic among the general public.
