Milli Gazette: Srinagar: Saturday, August 26, 2017.
Alleging
embezzlement of funds, residents from some villages in Banihal tehsil in Ramban
district claimed that construction of the road from Tethar to Takia via Perpora
including blacktopping has been a mere paper-exercise.
The condition
of the road fromTethar to Takia via Perpora is in shambles due to which locals
have to suffer, especially aged, ailing and expecting-mothers, asserted a group
of residents, while talking to MG over phone.“Some deaths too have been
reported due to untimely medical attention. There have been many cases where
people carried their family members on their shoulders to reach the nearest
hospital and in the process some lost their lives,” said Tahir Gul, a social activist
of the area.
Gul shared
that not only patients and ailing people have to bear the brunt but even
education of students takes a backseat. “Due to poor connectivity, many parents
ordered their children to quit schools that were far away from their respective
homes and got them enrolled in nearby government schools.” Gul too faced lot of
difficulties during his school-days but he somehow managed to swim through.
After completing his 10+2 he opted for some technical course.
Gul shared
that he alongwith some people from villages in the area tried their level best
to put the proper infrastructure in place and met various officials,
legislators and ministers in this connection, but to no avail. Consequently, he
filed an RTI application in May this year to find out the funds
allotted/released for the construction of the road. A month later, Gul received a letter from the
office of Public Information Officer, Executive Engineer, PWD (R&B)
Division Ramban dated 06-07-2017 stating the amount spent on the construction
of the road.
Some of the
contents of the information received under RTI application reads: “The
construction of the road from Tethar to Takia via Perpora was sanctioned during
the year 2011-12 at a cost of Rs. 99.25 lakh under NABARD RIDF XVI the road
stand completed upto BT status including construction B/walls, R/walls and
X-drainage works for a length of 1.50 kms the total amount spent on the scheme
isRs. 98.94 lakh up to ending 3-2017. Now there is a balance fund of Rs. 0.31
lakh only yet to be released for the said scheme.”
Gul alleged
that out of 1.50 kilometres only half kilometer has been constructed by Public
Works Department (PWD) and the other half has been completed by IRCON.
The RTI
information further revealed that tentative award of compensation received from
the Collector Land Acquisition (CLA) is Rs. 182.00 lakh out of which only Rs.
31.37 lakh have been released by the government which stands advance to CLA
Ramban for further payment to the land owners.“There is a balance land
compensation Rs 150.63 lakh yet to be advanced to the CLA for which no fund
have been released by the government till date.”
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