Arunachal: SAUSACMF alleges poor work on Jeru-Pongging PMGSY road
Urges RWD Yingkiong to hold the payment of the contractor till reconstruction of the road
PASIGHAT- ( By Maksam Tayeng )- The Save All Upper Siang Anti-Corruption Movement Forum (SAUSACMF) of Upper Siang district has alleged substandard and poor work quality on the under-construction Jeru to Pongging road (28.5 KM) under Katan circle of Upper Siang District which was sanctioned by the Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana scheme Vide Package No. AR/13/01/026 with an estimated cost of Rs. 3235.785 Lakhs (around Rs. 33 Cr) and maintenance cost of Rs. 357.49 Lakhs.
In a letter addressed to Executive Engineer, Rural Work Department, Yingkiong and copying the same to Secretary to Governor, Chief Secretary, Commissioner/Secretary RWD, CE RWD, Itanagar, and SE RWD, Pasighat in the 2nd week of this August, the team SAUSACMF led by Omuk Aje, President, Olik Lego, V/President and Okiram Lego, G/Secretary have alleged fault execution of the Jeru to Pongging village PMGSY road while misappropriating huge chunk of money without much work and without following the DPR.
As per SAUSACMF President, Omuk Aje, they made a physical survey of the said road recently and the road construction/maintenance is not done as per the DPR by M/s Ahao Rungsung Enterprise. “It is executed in very low quality and low rated standard by just simple maintenance over the road which was already constructed under 2009-10 Special Plan Assistance (SPA) schemes under the leadership of former MLA JK Panggeng during his tenure.
A huge amount of funds are will fully fixed and sanctioned on this particular Jeru-Pongging PMGSY road only in order to siphon off huge money by the nexus of executing agency and local leaders because such works are not required on the said stretches of road as this road has already been constructed before under SPA 2009-10”, said Omuk Aje.
Aje and team from SAUSACMF have also said, the scope of works as per the DPR were to be done like-drainage layers Granular Sub-Base (GSB), WBM-III, PMC with seal coat-20 mm thick Premix Carpet, Protective Work of Gabion wall-70.00 m and R & B wall-80.00, Side drain unlimited channel-22420.00, Lined channel stone masonry-8980.00 m etc.
But none of these specifications were followed including jungle clearance, road formation cutting, road formation in filling/embankment, shoulder etc. Citing all these anomalies, the SAUSACMF team has appealed to the RWD Yingkiong to stop billing or payment against the said scheme and instruct the said contractor to re-construct the road as per the standard given in DPR and CPWD Manual 2019.
The team SAUSACMF has also said that payment if made to the contractor even after submission of representation and request to the concern EE, RWD, Yingkiong without rectifying the faulty works, the concerned department will be held responsible and would be made a party in person against any case move before an appropriate Court under Prevention of Corruption Act. No. 49 of 1988.
Meanwhile, despite several attempts, Executive Engineer, RWD Yingkiong, G. Lipir couldn’t be contacted. However, Eda Boko, Asst. Engineer, WRD has clarified that the poor work/low standard work if any, shall be re-constructed as only around 30% of the bill has been paid to the contractor so far. “We haven’t even paid bill to the contractor for the completed and extra works, so as appealed by the team SAUSACMF the sub-standard works will be asked to be re-constructed by the concerned contractor”, added Boko.
