Malkangiri: In Kalimela Block of Malkangiri district, a shutdown was observed today in protest against the alleged mismanagement of the Block Development Officer (BDO) Mr. Pradeep Kumar Kar. The shutdown, organized by the local Panchayat Samiti, led to the closure of shops and markets in Kalimela from 6 AM to 6 PM, lasting for 12 hours.
The protests arose after complaints were filed in April against BDO Mr. Kar regarding his alleged misconduct in office. On 11th April, the representatives of 23 Gram Panchayats had submitted a written complaint to the District Collector and also brought the issue to the attention of the local MLA. Despite the complaint, no action was taken by the District Collector within the promised 15-day period.
The situation escalated when local representatives raised serious concerns about the BDO’s alleged lack of progress and development work. They also accused him of only conducting meetings for the sake of appearances without addressing any real issues, including the delay in improvements or new initiatives.
In response to these ongoing grievances, the local Panchayat Samiti demanded the removal of Mr. Kar. They announced that if their demand was not met, they would organize another 12-hour shutdown on 9th May, with the plan to lock the Kalimela Block office as a further protest. The shutdown was accompanied by the sealing of the Block office.
Additionally, a written complaint was filed against Mr. Kar for alleged inappropriate behavior with an indigenous woman, Sarapanch Lili Sodi, inside his office. Local representatives have demanded immediate and strong action against Mr. Kar for his alleged misconduct.
The protest has received considerable attention in the region, and the community has called for a prompt resolution of the issue.