Purushottam Patra, Gariaband. In Devbhog Civil Hospital, the post of sweeper, who used to do rags during the time of PM, is lying vacant for two years. Therefore, for this work, sweepers present in Odisha have to be called, who demand exorbitant rates in the name of wages and are also forced to pay. On Sunday, the body of 35-year-old Lokeshwar Nagesh was found in a suspicious condition near a pool on Kekarajor Dhepguda road. After the Panchnama proceedings, a mortuary was established at Devbhog police station and he was brought to the mortuary for post-mortem. The body found in the morning was brought to the mortuary by 10 o'clock, but due to the wait for the sweeper who did the dissection, the PM could be done at 4 in the evening. The helpless police contacted and called the sweeper of Odisha. After which the sweeper first decides his wages as soon as he arrives. This time he told his fee as Rs 5 thousand. The deceased's family was poor and when he expressed his inability to pay this fee, the sweeper also volunteered for the job. After agreeing to the amount demanded, somehow he became PM. When it came time to pay the money, the victim's family started giving Rs 3500 but the sweeper kept refusing to take the money. In the end, after a lot of hard work, he was given Rs 4 thousand. Bhawar Singh Nagesh, brother of the deceased, said that he was giving as much as he could collect after demanding from the family members. Later, somehow the sweeper was persuaded to pay Rs 4,000.
When will the tradition of giving money in exchange for PM end?
The issue is about recruitment for a small post like a sweeper. But this problem is very big for the people of the area. This compulsion to give money in exchange for PM will not end until those responsible fill this post. There is a need for recruitment in important posts like sweeper in Devbhog area which is struggling for better health facilities.
Police has to make arrangements
Devbhog Hospital, which has the status of a civil hospital, has two sweepers for cleaning, but none of them does any cleaning. After the death of sweeper Subhash Sindoor during the Corona period, the post of sweeper has been lying vacant for the last two years. There is a sweeper in Mainpur Hospital but due to being 80 km away, it does not come on time. It is said that even if a sweeper comes, one has to pay more than Rs 5 thousand. On an average, 8 PMs have to be done per month or more if the number of accidents increases. Even though the PM is a doctor, it has become the job of the police to make arrangements for the dissection here. Many times, the sweeper's wages have to be paid from the police's pocket. The sweepers are from Odisha, so the police has to bear all their tantrums silently.
ASI Devbhog Hukum Singh said that the body of a youth missing from home since the evening of March 16 was found on Kekrajor road. There were no external injuries, death is likely due to falling from the bridge. The situation will be known only after the PM report. As usual, since there was no sweeper here, a sweeper was called from Odisha.
BMO Devbhog Sunil Reddy said on this that the post of sweeper who has been doing rags for two years is vacant. Every time this information is sent to the higher office in the demand letter.