Bant: The rural water supply programme of the state government, aimed at providing safe drinking water to households in the district, has failed to deliver in Bant block of Bhadrak district.
It was learnt that altogether 38 drinking water projects were sanctioned in 25 panchayats of Bant block. Although work on most of these projects started from 2013-14 and 2014-15 fiscal years, as per the government records only 20 drinking water projects out of those have been completed so far.
Eighteen projects are still lying half-completed. Crores of rupees were wasted as the agencies given contract have failed to complete the projects in time.
Sources said the target to finish the projects was 2016, But after three years from the deadline, the projects at Anijo, Odanga, Apanda, Gopalpur, Tarago, Routraypur, Alauti, Gopinathpur, Dando, Ramakrushnapur, Rampur, Todagaon are still lying incomplete. The department allegedly has taken no steps in this regard despite complaints.
When asked, junior engineer Subhendu Mishra said, “Things are getting delayed because of contractors. They are supposed to finish the projects within 11 months and in worst cases may extend it by six months only.”
PNN