Duburi: Tension gripped Baliapal in Salijanga panchayat of Danagadi block in Jajpur district Thursday when farmers stopped construction work on a canal citing sub-standard materials were used in it.
The farmers alleged that the contractor agency is violating norms, and is carrying out sub-standard work on the canal which is being constructed under the Baliapal Minor Irrigation Project.
It is two years since the agency took up the work, but it has not been completed, they said.
This sparked resentment among the farmers who accompanied by the village youth reached the spot and stopped work on the canal.
Farmers Gulen Gagrai, Ladura Kerei and Mangal Singh Purti alleged that while construction of the canal’s drain should be carried out in the proportion of 1/2/3, that is one dish of cement, two dishes of chips and three dishes of sand, the agency was carrying out construction in the proportion 1/5/6 which will seriously affect its life.
The farmers’ doubts were proved true when a portion of the concrete canal built a month back caved in recently. They said their charges will be proved true if the concrete used for the work is examined in the laboratory.
Farmers Biswajit Kerei, Kusun Kerei, Mahendra Sundhi and Bijay Sundhi alleged that this happened due to lack of supervision by senior officials. This has encouraged the agency to violate norms.
The sarpanch demanded a Vigilance probe into the canal work to expose the irregularities.
Sources said the 700-metre canal is being constructed at a cost of Rs 42 lakh and the work order was issued in December, 2016.
The project would provide irrigation to 900 hectares in Baghuapal, Baliapal, Ragada and adjoining villages in Salijanga panchayat.
The agency started work only in April 2017, even though it got the work order in December 2016. The agency violated norms right from the beginning of the work, and farmers led by the sarpanch stopped work at the site and demolished a part of the constructed canal.
After that work on the canal was stopped, but tension arose again Thursday after the agency was seen carrying out work after reappointment by the government.
The farmers said the agency managed to get the work again by giving favours to officers of the irrigation department.
Junior engineer Swapnarani Biswal said substandard work will not be tolerated. SDO Jagannath Mallick said he will take action after a probe.
PNN