- By Shantanu Kumar Rana
Berhampur: Despite the state government’s efforts to promptly address the public through the 5T initiatives, the lackadaisical behavior of certain government officials has raised concerns about the efficiency of the administration. A forester, assigned to the Chhtrapur section of the Berhampur forest division, is under scrutiny for allegedly making threatening remarks to an individual over the phone, with a video of the incident gaining traction on social media.
The victim, Prasant Mohaptra, shared his harrowing experience during a press conference in the city. He recounted that, while en route to his farmhouse near Chamakhandi in Sindurapalli village, he encountered forest employees blockading the road leading to his destination. Upon questioning their actions, they claimed it was at the forester’s instructions. The situation seemed to resolve there, but a few hours later, Mohaptra received a threatening phone call from the forester, who used abusive language and made explicit threats against his life.
In response to this distressing incident, Mohaptra promptly filed a complaint with the Chamakhandi police station to address the matter.
Upon reaching out to the District Forest Officer (DFO), it was disclosed that the portion of land under dispute was transferred to the forest department by the revenue department in 2022. When questioned about the existence of a clear directive mandating the closure of the road, the DFO refrained from providing a direct answer. Nevertheless, he assured that the erring official would receive a warning. In light of this situation, the city’s residents are eager to observe the administrative measures taken to address the actions of the reportedly undisciplined official.
