CM Sai suspends cooperative officer over fertiliser lapses during Sushasan Tihar tour

Raipur: A surprise “Sushasan Tihar” tour in north Chhattisgarh saw chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai suspend a cooperative department officer on the spot over alleged fertiliser irregularities and warn collectors that lapses in drinking water supply would invite direct accountability.During a high-level review meeting in Chirmiri, in Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (MCB) district late Thursday, Sai expressed strong displeasure over drinking water shortages and poor school examination results in Surajpur, Koriya and MCB districts. The sharpest action came after complaints of irregular fertiliser distribution surfaced from Koriya district.Taking immediate cognisance, Sai ordered the suspension of assistant commissioner and assistant registrar, cooperative societies, Ayush Pratap Singh.Officials present at the meeting said the chief minister repeatedly stressed that governance failures affecting ordinary citizens would not be tolerated.Sai directed collectors of all three districts to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply in rural and water-scarce areas amid rising summer temperatures. He instructed officials to arrange tanker supply wherever required and warned that district collectors themselves would be held responsible for lapses.Ahead of the monsoon, Sai also directed administrations to prepare preventive action plans against seasonal diseases. Cleaning and chlorination of all drinking water sources before the rains should be completed on priority, he said, warning against contamination-related outbreaks.