Rs1.6L to be recovered for poor culvert construction

BOX—- 6 held responsible

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* Misappropriation and misutilisation of MGNREGA funds to the tune of Rs 1,66,319 has been alleged in the construction of a culvert in Ward No. 3 of Dekwan gram panchayat in Indora development block

* The MGNREGA ombudsman has indicted the pradhan, up-pradhan, panchayat secretary, two panchayat gram sewaks and a JE for the poor work on the culvert, which partially collapsed after 15 days of its construction.

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, October 17

The Kangra district MGNREGA ombudsman, Anjala Kumari, has ordered the recovery of Rs 1,66,319 from six persons, including a Junior Engineer (JE) of the Department of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development, for alleged poor construction work of a culvert in Dekwan gram panchayat of Indora development block.

She has also recommended a disciplinary action against the JE, under Rule 14 (CCA Rules-1965) for his failure to perform his official duty while building the culvert, which partially collapsed after 15 days of its construction.

According to the order of the ombudsman (a copy of which is available with The Tribune), misappropriation and misutilisation of MGNREGA funds to the tune of Rs 1,66,319 has been alleged in the construction of the culvert in Ward No. 3 of the gram panchayat.

The pradhan, up-pradhan, panchayat secretary, two panchayat gram sewaks and a JE have been held responsible for the poor construction of the culvert. They have been issued recovery notices and directed to deposit the amount.

The damaged culvert was reportedly built at an estimated cost of Rs 6 lakh, and funds were taken from MGNREGA, zila parishad and DC funds.

Dekwan panchayat residents had objected to the poor construction work. Prashan Singh, a resident of the panchayat, had submitted a complaint to the Block Development Officer, Indora, who examined the work and assured the peeved residents of action against the erring people. Meanwhile, the resident submitted a complaint to the district MGNREGA ombudsman, who constituted an inquiry committee and held six persons responsible for fund embezzlement.

Puran Chand, pradhan of Dekwan gram panchayat, said that the the panchayat up-pradhan had undertaken the construction of the culvert and he had raised the issue of poor construction time and again but in vain. As per the order of the ombudsman, he would pay his share of the recovery amount, he added.

Caption: The newly built culvert, which collapsed after 15 days of construction, in Dekwan gram panchayat of Indora subdivision in Kangra. Tribune photo