Jajpur: A state government plan to provide drinking water to the rural population through installation of solar-powered tubewells in the state has hit roadblocks with hundreds of the projects lying defunct due to alleged irregularities and sub-standard works, a report said.
Among them, 49 of the projects were from Jajpur district.
As a result, people have failed to get drinking water and have to depend on alternative to fulfill their needs. A report by the customer relationship centre (CRC) said that around 739 projects are lying defunct in the state. The matter acquired prominence after the accountant general wrote to the chief engineer of rural water supply and sanitation department (RWSS) and sought report on the matter.
Accordingly, the chief engineer of RWSS wrote to the concerned engineers December 22, and asked them to file detailed reports on their respective projects along with the utilisation certificate (UC) submitted by the Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA).
The engineers have been asked to file detailed reports on the utilisation certificate of Rs 1,78,16,400 submitted in two phases. It is alleged that the projects developed snags and became defunct a month after their installation due to sub-standard works. This has happened due to alleged bonhomie between some unscrupulous officials of RWSS department and the consultancy agency OREDA.
It is alleged that officials have gobbled up the lion’s share of the sanctioned funds by manipulating the UC.
PNN