File picture of chief minister Naveen Patnaik at a camp where relief materials were being packaged for distribution to cyclone victims in Bhubaneswar. (AFP)

Bhubaneswar/Cuttack, Oct. 23: Civic officials of the twin cities are feeling demoralised following suspension of the deputy commissioner of the Cuttack Municipal Corporation. They have urged the chief minister to bar political persons from getting involved in distribution of relief materials.

The state government has started a vigilance inquiry into the alleged bungling of relief materials in the Cuttack Municipal Corporation. The commissioner of the Cuttack civic body, Nihar Ranjan Mohapatra, has been transferred, while the deputy commissioner, Jaganarayan Kujur, was suspended.

“The relief materials were distributed according to the suggestions and directives of the politicians, including the mayor and the MLAs of Cuttack. But, when the probe started, they were never targeted. It is very strange. It will definitely hurt the sentiments of many sincere officials working overtime during the post-Phailin relief and rehabilitation,’’ said a senior administrative official of the state cadre.

Senior officials of the two corporations feel that the actions were carried out in haste and were to cover up the political persons.

“The chief minister should ask the politicians not to interfere with the relief work,” urged another senior civic official.

While the Cuttack Municipal Corporation plunged into a deep crisis, the Bhubaneswar civic body, on the other hand, narrowly escaped from a possible mess as the administrative officers resisted the suggestions of a local MLA, who on October 11, had suggested that the relief materials be distributed through the people’s representatives.

“With our past experience, we had sensed that there could be another calamity in waiting if we allow it, so we never gave in and insisted that only dry foods and drinking water pouches bought with our own money will be distributed at cyclone shelters. The MLA was suggesting that cooked food should have been distributed,’’ said another senior official the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.

The refusal of the Bhubaneswar civic body to the local MLA’s proposal cost it dearly as its officials got adverse remarks from the MLA at a review meeting chaired by the chief minister. The state government even went to the extent of asking the vice-chairman of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority to take over the post-Phailin co-ordination work.

Political parties, on the other hand, have taken the government’s cover-up exercise seriously. “The mayor was also involved in the entire thing. So, the vigilance probe should have also targeted him too,’’ said Pradesh Congress Committee chief Jaydev Jena.

Panchayati raj minister and BJD spokesperson Kalpataru Das fought back saying: “There was no effort to cover up. The BJD never believes in such practices. Rather the Congress uses such strategy to cover up the mistakes of their leaders. We will conduct a transparent probe into the alleged bungling.’’

Special Relief Commissioner Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra said: “The theft of polythene in Khurda district was taken very seriously and the clause under dacoity was registered against the alleged culprits. In case of Cuttack, the police will take appropriate action against those who will be found guilty.

In another development, vigilance sleuths continued to grill officials and councillors of Cuttack Municipal Corporation in connection with the alleged misappropriation of relief materials for the second consecutive day today.

Suspended deputy commissioner of Cuttack Municipal Corporation Jaganarayan Kujur, who was in charge of distribution of relief materials, and commissioner Mohapatra were questioned on procurement and distribution of the relief materials.

“Our investigation is on while various documents and statements of officials and councilors are being recorded in this connection,” said Vigilance SP B.K. Patnaik.

Many councillors, including BJD Cuttack unit president Madhusudan Sahu, were also interrogated today.