Bhubaneswar, Jan. 30: Residents of Balakati on the city outskirts today surrounded the vigilance office at Surya Nagar here demanding an inquiry into the misappropriation of the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme funds sanctioned to set up two public libraries in their area.

The residents also alleged that there have been several cases of fund misappropriation in various development projects in Pratapsashan gram panchayat under Balianta block.

Twenty residents staged a protest in front of the vigilance office to draw the attention of the officials this morning. They alleged that though they had written to the vigilance department two months ago to conduct an inquiry into the misappropriation of funds, the officials did not take any step.

“We want the vigilance department to conduct an inquiry. The officials and contractors have taken the money in the name of various projects while hardly any work has been done. What is said to have been completed is of substandard quality,” said resident Surendra Nath Behera.

Another local resident, Braja Kishore Barik, alleged that though Rs 12 lakh had been sanctioned from the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme fund to set up two public libraries in Pratapsashan gram panchayat in 2010-11, there was no trace of any work done.

“Though Right to Information (RTI) reports show that the libraries existed on two plots, in reality there are no such buildings there. When we asked the authorities about it, they said that two classrooms of a private school have been converted into libraries. This was clear misappropriation of public money,” said a protester. He added that there was no provision of government fund to be used in private institutions.

Resident Prakash Chandra Rout said during 2007 and 2012 development work to the tune of Rs 5 crore had been undertaken in that area but there had been widespread corruption.

However, Block Development Officer, Balianta block Akhaya Kumar Rout said he was unaware of these misappropriations.