Aradi (Bhadrak): A rest house which could have also functioned as a section office during floods has virtually turned into a haunted structure in this village. The construction of this building at Kuleipada in this village of Bhadrak district, had been completed five years ago, but till date, it has not been used.
The building has been constructed by the State Irrigation Department so that it can function as a section office during the rainy season when floods ravage villages of Olag, Nandapur, Sundarpur and Aradi. Every year the Baitarini river overflows causing immense problems to the residents of these villages.
“The main aim to have this section office-cum-rest house was to have a junior engineer of the irrigation department staying and working in it. During monsoons and floods he could have been of immense use to the villagers. But then people with vested interests did not want that to happen. Looks like their wishes have been fulfilled,” alleged some villagers.
“From the very beginning of the project, some people including a local sarpanch were against it. We wanted the section office as it would have benefited us,” stated some villagers who want the office to open as quickly as possible. They also informed that some of them had donated portions of their lands for the building.
In 2014 the then MLA of Chandbali, Bijay Nayak had laid the foundation stone of the building. Within a year construction was completed. But that is all that happened. Not even an approach road to the building has been done and it has never been inaugurated informed other villagers.
When contacted, the SDO of Irrigation Department, Bhubanananda Mohanty said, “The money required to office functional has not been released as yet. However, the department is trying its best to get things under control and the building will be operational soon.”
PNN