Odisha CM Mohan Majhi Keeps His Promise, Holds Grand Public Grievance Hearing Event with Ministers

Bhubaneswar: Odisha chief minister Mohan Majhi and most of his ministers on Monday held a grand public grievance hearing event which marked the turnout of thousands of people, including differently-abled persons and destitute. This was the third public grievance redressal hearing by Majhi after he became CM of the state on June 12.

The CM’s grievance hearing cell, which was closed since 2008, has now become the one-stop solution to various issues concerning the people in the state.

As soon as the day dawned, an unprecedented rush was witnessed at the grievance cell on the backside of the state secretariat. A stampede-like situation was seen for a very short time. However, the security personnel handled it with all caution.

“As many as 1750 cases were registered today. The CM and other ministers listened to the grievances. Officials were asked to solve the problems within seven days,” informed deputy chief minister Prabhati Parida.

Naveen Patnaik, who ruled the state for a little over 24 years, had stopped hearing public grievances. The BJP had made it a major poll issue. The saffron party had alleged during the election campaign that Naveen had no sympathy for the people of the state. The party had even promised that its chief minister would hold regular public hearings if it came to power.

CM Majhi’s public hearings at regular intervals have apparently endeared him to the people.

“During the BJD rule, we did not have access to the then CM Naveen Patnaik. The officers were not accessible. Now, the CM, his ministers and officials are not only accessible but also they are listening to our grievances,” said Pramod Sahukar, a 50-year-old man who came from Koraput, to air his grievance.

Amidst the brief chaos, it was found that a couple from Boudh district came for the CM’s grievance hearing. They came for their six-year-old daughter Pratyusha Giri who is suffering from a disease in which she has developed multiple wounds on her body.

Pratyusha is suffering from the condition after 20 days of her birth. Pratyusha’s parents are unable to afford her treatment and hence have come to seek help from the Odisha government.

“My daughter developed the disease 20 days after her birth. The doctors informed that there is no treatment for her condition. The doctors have asked me to keep my daughter in the air conditioner and I am not able to do so owing to the financial crisis. My elder daughter was also suffering from the same condition and she died subsequently,” said Pratyusha’s father.

Pratyusha’s mother said, “We have come here to seek some help from the Odisha government so that my daughter can fight and win.”