The Jagatsinghpur District Collector has issued a show-cause notice to the District Labour Officer (DLO) following the circulation of an audio clip allegedly linked to a bribe demand under the Construction Workers’ Welfare Scheme, directing the officer to submit an explanation within two days.
The controversy arose after Dhruva Charan Paital, a construction worker from Balikuda block, alleged irregularities in the processing of his application for financial aid for his children’s education. Paital claimed that data entry operator Pushpita Sadangi demanded money to approve his application, and when he refused, his name was allegedly marked as “dead” on the department’s website, leading to rejection of his claim.
In response, the DLO barred the data entry operator from reporting to the office and submitted a report recommending her termination to the Labour Commissioner. An FIR has also been registered against her.
The District Collector has sought a detailed explanation from the DLO, and a formal inquiry is underway to investigate the matter and fix accountability.
