Hindustan
Times: Mandi: Monday, 20 October 2014.
Right to
Information (RTI) activist and prominent social worker Sant Ram has revealed
that as many as 20 roads, constructed by spending more than `20 crore, in Seraj
segment of the district are either not built as per detailed project report
(DPR) specifications or some incomplete roads have been declared fit for
traffic in papers, whereas these roads are not even fit for two-wheelers.
Ram said he
obtained the information from public works department (PWD) and Himachal Road
Transport Corporation (HRTC) for the comparative study and demanded inspection
of the roads under the RTI Act from PWD to reveal the actual condition of the
roads.
He added both
the departments tried to hide the information in the beginning but he struggled
to get the information and maximum information could be collected after filing
appeal with state chief information commissioner, Shimla.
He also wrote
to chief minister Virbhadra Singh and informed about the possible embezzlement
of worth rupees crore in the construction of these roads but no action was
initiated.
He added that
few of these roads were not constructed up to the marks but shown completed in
the papers and later on extra budget was spend in the name of repair works
under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS).
Meanwhile,
maximum of these roads were either dedicated or laid foundation stones by the
previous government leaders in haste prior to the state assembly elections
2012.
Ram said he
had served PWD department a legal notice through his advocate Deshraj Sharma to
complete the roads according to the approved DPR without extra budget or he
will file petition against the anomalies and possible embezzlement in the
Himachal Pradesh high court.