Post News Network
Keonjhar, July 23: The government spends crores of rupees for the development of Juanga tribe-dominated Bansapal block in Keonjhar district, but in the absence of proper monitoring, the efforts go in vain.
A case in point is Barahagad panchayat and its peripheral areas where several projects undertaken by the block administration and the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) have been botched up by contractors so as to mint money.
Local people asserted that some unscrupulous government officials, junior engineers and contractors have formed an unholy nexus to bungle government funds meant for development projects by making sub-standard work. Locals said Rs 16 crore has been sanctioned for a road project from Talabali to Barhagad and a number of contractors have been engaged in the work. The project entails laying a road by cutting hilly terrains, construction of bridges, stone packing of the roadside and drains. But, the contractors have dug out murram and soil from the nearby areas, causing damage to forests and land. The government is losing lakhs of rupees in terms of revenue from such illegal activities by contractors.
The quality of an under-construction bridge near the village is being compromised with use of sub-standard gravel, chips, cement and iron rods while no junior engineer comes to monitor the work, the villagers alleged.
Work of guard walls and stone-packing alongside the road is being carried out in the similar manner with no government official visiting the site to ensure its quality. They also alleged that the road is not being compressed with rollers. Another allegation is that local Juangas are being engaged in the work, but are not paid minimum daily wages as fixed by the government.
Surprisingly, the ITDA and NGOs, which claim to be working for the development of Juangas, are not coming forward to prevent such irregularities, the Juangas said, demanding a Vigilance probe into the irregularities.
When contacted, project administrator of ITDA, Santosh Kumar Nayak said he would take action in this regard only after confirming which departments are undertaking these works.