In a significant development, the Orissa High Court on Friday rejected the replies to the showcause notices, filed by secretaries of Rural Development (RD) Department and Women and Child Development Department (W&CD), with regards to provisioning of drinking water to anganwadi centres in the State.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice V Gopalagowda and Justice BN Mohapatra directed continuance of the contempt proceedings against the two officials for not implementing the orders of the High Court on the matter. The Bench adjourned the case until two weeks after and directed the officials to make their submission on the question of framing charge by the time.
Earlier the court had issued notices to showcause as to why action shall not be taken against them for not implementing the order of the High Court. The court while considering a PIL writ petition alleging large-scale corruption in supply of arhar dal for implementing Mid-Day Meal programme, and on the basis of the allegation that there is no drinking water facility in 9,543 anganwadi centres in the State, had directed to provide drinking water facility to all the centres by end of June 2011.
The court had specifically directed that steps should be taken on war-footing to dig bore wells. In course of hearing and on consideration of the affidavits, filed by the secretaries RD and W&CD departments, the court found that the steps taken were not satisfactory and accordingly held that it was not inclined to accept the replies.
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