The administration in Chhattisgarh has initiated strict action against corruption in local governance. The former secretary of Bhawanpur Gram Panchayat has been sent to civil jail for 30 days for failing to deposit outstanding dues. Simultaneously, arrest warrants have been issued against other secretaries and Sarpanchs (village heads) who have defaulted on payments related to construction projects.
Under the direction of Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) IAS Prakhar Chandrakar, legal action is being taken against several secretaries and Sarpanchs for not depositing the outstanding amounts for construction works undertaken by the panchayats. In this regard, the former secretary of Gram Panchayat Bhawanpur, Alok Thawait, was sent to civil jail for failing to deposit ₹11,95,790. Arrest warrants have also been issued for the secretaries and Sarpanchs of Gram Panchayats Ganjaibhauna, Godihori, Reda, Amalipali B, Jildi and other panchayats.
While some panchayats have deposited a partial amount, they have been warned of imprisonment if the remaining dues are not cleared. This stern action by the administration serves as a strong message to other panchayat officials involved in corruption that failure to deposit dues could lead to property attachment and imprisonment.
Civil jail is a process where a court can detain a debtor to compel them to pay their debt. This process forces the individual to pay off the debt through property attachment or labor. Civil jail is for compelling payment of debt, while criminal jail is for those convicted of criminal offenses, where imprisonment is a form of punishment.
