EX BUREAUCRAT FARM HOUSE CONFISCATED

EX BUREAUCRAT FARM HOUSE CONFISCATED 15/12/2011

ODISHA: The Odisha government on Wednesday confiscated a farm house of a tainted retired IAS officer and converted it into a farmers’ training centre-cum-nursery, official sources said.

The farm house and land measuring 2.6 acres belonging to ex-IAS officer Ramesh Chandra Behera at Rangeilunda block in Ganjam district, was confiscated after he was convicted in a disproportionate asset case.

Behera was found guilty of amassing properties disproportionate to his known source of income, a senior vigilance official said, adding that a case under Prevention of Corruption Act was made against the IAS officer when he was the vice-chairman of Cuttack Development Authority (CDA).

We have taken possession of Behera's farm house and land. The place will function as a training centre for farmers of Ganjam and Gajapati districts.

Besides, a nursery will operate from the place, Chandrasekhar Patra, deputy director, horticulture, Ganjam district, said.

Behera was the second ex-IAS officer in Odisha whose property was confiscated and used for public purpose.

Earlier, the government had opened a homoeopathy hospital at the house of another ex-IAS officer Sanjib Kumar Ray in the state capital.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik during Vigilance Week recently had announced that the state government would use confiscated properties of tainted officials for public purpose.

SIDDHARTHA SHANKAR MISHRA,
BUREAU CHIEF, THESE DAYS,
ODISHA