Odisha Vigilance Seizes Rs 5 Lakh From Lathikata Tahasildar; Minister Reviews Bhubaneswar Civic Issues

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance on Thursday intercepted Muralidhar Urmal, Tahasildar-cum-Sub-Registrar of Lathikata in Sundargarh district, and seized Rs 5 lakh in cash allegedly suspected to be illicitly acquired, officials said.

Acting on specific inputs, a Vigilance team stopped Urmal near Rajabasa Chhak in Lathikata while he was travelling from his office to his residence in Rourkela in a hired Scorpio vehicle.

The officials recovered Rs 5 lakh from his possession. As Urmal allegedly failed to provide a satisfactory account of the source of the money, the cash and the vehicle were taken into custody.

The agency subsequently began simultaneous searches at three premises linked to the official as part of an investigation into suspected possession of disproportionate assets. The searches were underway, the Vigilance said.

Meanwhile, Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra reviewed the recurring problems of waterlogging, drainage and sanitation in Bhubaneswar during a meeting with senior officials.

The minister directed authorities to accelerate work on the drainage project near the ISKCON Temple, which has been identified as a key intervention for addressing persistent waterlogging in the area. He also ordered that drainage works in Behera Sahi be expedited and called for integrated road-and-drainage infrastructure at other vulnerable locations.

The minister emphasised the need for technology-driven and innovative measures to tackle recurring garbage accumulation and foul odour, including in the Sainik School area. He said sanitation management should go beyond routine cleaning and focus on sustainable solutions for healthier urban spaces.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mahapatra said the government aimed to make Bhubaneswar and Cuttack among the country’s cleanest and best-managed cities. He said the focus was not simply on improving rankings but on delivering visible and lasting improvements in sanitation, drainage and civic infrastructure.

On urban flooding, the minister stressed that authorities must move away from temporary responses and focus on permanent solutions. He called for advance preparedness, regular desilting, mechanised drain cleaning and real-time monitoring to prevent waterlogging.

Mahapatra also instructed all concerned agencies to coordinate closely, complete ongoing projects within stipulated timelines and adopt a proactive approach to sanitation and flood management. He stressed that urban infrastructure planning should prioritise prevention, preparedness, quick response and long-term solutions.

The meeting was attended by Special Secretary, Housing and Urban Development-cum-Mission Director, SBM (Urban), Binay Kumar Dash; BMC Commissioner Chanchal Rana; KMC Commissioner Kirandeep Kaur Sahota; WATCO Director Debabrata Mohanty; OWSSB EIC Bhagyadhar Mohanty and other senior officials of the Housing and Urban Development Department and concerned agencies.