The Odisha government is reluctant to share the financial transactions for organising the World Cup Hockey in the State last month, RTI activists said on Saturday.
“I, along with five more persons, submitted applications under the Right to Information Act, seeking information on mobilisation of funds for the event held in Bhubaneswar,” Pradip Pradhan, an RTI activist, said at a press conference.
He said RTI applications were filed with the Departments of Sports and Youth Affairs, General Administration, Finance and Housing and Urban Development and the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.
“However, the replies provided to all the persons appeared to be identical. The government departments said that since the accounts had not been settled, the information could not be shared,” he said.
The activists apprehend that politicians and officials had embezzled a huge sum through unnecessary expenditure in the preparation for the event. “We suspect contracts were offered at inflated rates as was done during the Commonwealth Games. We wanted to know the funds received by different departments. But they did not give information under the pretext of non-settlement of accounts,” said Pratap Mohanty, another applicant.
Activists alleged that the Naveen Patnaik government, which claimed to be running a transparent administration, was trying to hush up the matter. All applicants made the first appeal against the denial of information.
Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan, a forum of RTI activists, announced to stage demonstration in front Sports and Youth Affairs department protesting non-disclosure of fund mobilization and expenditure made for Men’s Hockey World Cup.
