No Water Supply in Public Toilets Constructed by P& RD

Udalguri DRDA faces corruption allegation

Our Correspondent

MANGALDAI: The Panchayat & Rural Development department (P&RD) vide a notification (RDD.124/2017/62 dated October 16, 2018) signed by Principal Secretary of P&RD, Dr JB Ekka, decided to construct community toilet blocks in public places as the Individual Household Latrines (IHHL) constructed under Swacch Bharat and MGNREGA schemes could not cater to the need for community toilets in public places.

Accordingly, the Panchayat & Rural Development department under ‘State own priority development’ schemes 2017-2018, implemented the scheme ‘Community toilets with solar lighting and water pumping system’ at the cost of Rs 8 lakh per unit through the District Rural Development Agency’ (DRDA) of the State. As per the guidelines, each toilet constructed at 228 square feet area must have waste management system, plumbing arrangements for post use cleaning, water storage and water pumping system through overhead tanks and solar system for electricity.

The DRDA at Udalguri, as per the direction, had also constructed a toilet block at Bhairabkunda-the triangular border junction of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan. The toilet block was ceremonially inaugurated by the then Superintendent of Police, Rajveer in presence of Project Director of Udalguri DRDA, Bhaskar Jyoti Manta, MCLA Ripen Daimary and Deputy Commandant of 23 SSB, Mrigen Sarma at a well-attended function on November 5.

Though four months have passed since its inauguration, the toilet block is yet to have the basic requirements like water storage and water supply system through an overhead tank, solar system for electrification and post-use cleaning system. Though the toilet block has been dedicated to the people, it is useless due to non-availability of water supply and electricity. It has been alleged that the Project Director of DRDA, Udalguri, in connivance with some other officials, had misappropriated a large amount of money in the name of construction of the toilet blocks in different places of the district. On the other hand, though it is mandatory to display the details of the scheme, in this toilet block the sanctioned amount with the provisions has no mention, thereby keeping the people in the dark about the details of the scheme.

The conscious people of Bhairabkunda area have demanded the Principal Secretary and the Commissioner of the Panchayat & Rural Development department for an inquiry into the alleged gross anomalies and corruption in the construction of toilet block. As per the instruction of the P&RD department, for selection of the site and monitoring and evaluation for the construction of the community toilet, a committee was formed with the Deputy Commissioner as the chairman, Project Director of DRDA as the member secretary and local MLA, one ZP member nominated by the Deputy Commissioner and the BDO as the member. For the supervision, maintenance and execution of the work, a committee was formed with the Project Director as the chairman, BDO as the member secretary and Executive Engineer of PHE, Circle Officer, representative of DC not below the rank of SDO, president and secretary of gaon panchayat as members.

Further, a block level committee was also formed with the Project Director of DRDA as the chairman, BDO as the member secretary and Assistant Executive Engineer of PHE, two social activists and GP secretary as members. Even after the formation of three high-level committees for monitoring, evaluation and execution of works, these toilet blocks were inaugurated without the basic requirement of water supply system and solar system for electricity.

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