Speaker asks Minister to make statement on sapling plantation

Odisha Assembly Speaker P K Amat Monday asked Agriculture Minister P K Maharathy to make a statement on the alleged sapling plantation irregularities before the end of this session of the House.

The Monsoon session of Odisha Assembly would end on September 20.

Amat gave this direction as the House witnessed three adjournments as opposition Congress and BJP members raised slogans over the sapling plantation irregularities.

As soon as the House made obituary reference to former minister Dolagobinda Pradhan, who passed away earlier in the morning, opposition chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati of Congress along with his colleagues trooped into the well and raised slogans.

The Congress members wanted a statement from the government on what action it has taken against the officers involved in the scam. Unable to run the House, Amat adjourned the proceeding thrice till 12.30 pm.

When the House reassembled, Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress said that the Agriculture minister has admitted in the House that there has been irregularities worth Rs 17.33 crore in sapling plantation activities. However, no action is taken so far.

"When government admits irregularities and is not taking any action against the officials, it shows that the government is involved in the scam. I demand the chief minister to respond. The government cannot keep quit. You ask the CM to make a statement and why officers involved in the incident were not prosecuted as per the law," Mishra said.

Stating that the government has "admitted" irregularities in floor of the House, BJP legislature party leader K V Singhdeo alleged that the government was protecting the officers.

Singhdeo alleged the then minister (Damodar Rout), who raised the issue, was removed from the ministry and the officers involved in the scam were reinstated in service.