Chhatarpur: No permanent revenue SDO in district for last 6 months; hundreds of land cases pending

Chhatarpur (Madhya Pradesh): The post of sub-divisional officer (SDO) revenue in Chhatarpur city is lying vacant for the last 6 months resulting in pendency of hundreds of land cases in the court.

A sub-divisional officer Vinay Dwivedi posted temporarily in Nowgong, has been given the additional charge of Chhatarpur. He only visits the office here twice a week and thus hundreds of unresolved revenue cases are pending in SDM court.

Six months ago, district collector Sheelendra Singh was shifted allegedly owing to disagreement with BJP MLA Rajesh Prajapati. Sandeep GR, who was Commissioner Jabalpur Municipal Corporation, had replaced Singh.

Senior advocate Laxmikant Chaturvedi has written to the district collector requesting posting of a permanent sub-divisional officer. The letter also mentioned cases of land transfer by officials posted in Chhatarpur tehsil in 1943–1944. The land transfer request was denied owing to non-registration; an appeal was made and forwarded to the sub-divisional officer, but the matter is still pending as there is no permanent SDO in the office.

According to Commissioner Sagar Division Mukesh Shukla, the State Administrative Services officer stationed in the district made an off-camera statement that there are more Joint Collectors in Chhatarpur who could be posted as Chhatarpur Sub-Divisional Officers, but Vinay Dwivedi was given additional charge of Chhatarpur and the work is not being handled properly because he has been given responsibility of two places.