The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Tribals falling prey to dubious NGOs

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Sunday, Mar 23, 2008
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Tribals falling prey to dubious NGOs

Staff Reporter

These organisations trap gullible people through their schemes

Phulbani police arrest two persons on cheating charge
Canadian firm lodges complaint against couple

BERHAMPUR: Tribals and harijans living in Kandhamal district are being conned by dubious social workers and financial organisations.

These organisations trap the gullible people of the district through their lucrative schemes of development. Personnel of the Phulbani town police station in Kandhamal district recently arrested Dharinadhar Sarangi and his associate Anita Pradhan. These two were allegedly running an NGO named ‘Helpaid’. But they were involved in cheating the tribals of the district of their hard earned savings.

With the lure of providing loans without any interest, they took money from people especially the women of the district, said Ashok Parida, the investigating police officer. The cheats were collecting one tenth of the amount of the loan amount from their victims. As per their scheme one had to pay up Rs. 570 to get Rs. 5000 as loan on zero percent interest.

Big racket

Similarly the gullible tribals were assured that by paying Rs. 9,300 they could become eligible to get Rs. one lakh as loan without any interest. It is still unknown how many tribals in the district had become victims of this racket. The racket came into the light when members of women’s Self Help Group (SHG) of Phulbani, who deposited money with the organisation, asked to get loans, which they never got. The alleged kingpin of the racket, Dharanidhar was arrested from Bhubaneswar while the director of the organisation, Anita Pradhan was arrested from Raikia in Kandhamal district. Some agents of the organisation are also being questioned.

In another incident police arrested Asima Nayak, cashier of an NGO operating in Kandhamal district on March 7. She along with her husband, Samuel Nayak allegedly misappropriated money, which they got as grant from a Canadian funding agency. Police had to take action following a complaint from the Canadian organisation that the social organisation run by this couple had misappropriated around Rs. 60 lakhs provided as grant for social services. Samuel managed to get anticipatory bail from the High Court.

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