RTI activist of Garhwal, Uttarakhand voices his serious concern over alleged corruption in Gramin Sadak Yojna’s execution

Uttarakhand state which came into separate existence in the year 2000 is undoubtedly witnessing spate of developments in terms of road constructions to enhance connectivity through MP, MLA funds and also through the Pradhanmantri Gramin Sadak Yojna budget but in majority of the cases it seems that the development is allegedly lop sided with misuse of government funds released through various schemes for execution of various developmental works viz construction of roads, health centres, schools, water storage tanks, pushtas, bus stands, water conservation plants n official buildings etc.

It’s in a way an alleged open loot of public exchequer’s money and therefore a matter of grave concern.

Since the majority of the educated and conscious people of Uttarakhand, especially the literate youths have shifted to plains for want of better socio economic prospects, there is usually nobody or little aware and educated people, especially senior citizens or women left behind in the villages to minutely examine the quality of the jobs executed by the contractors in collusion with the various government’s executive bodies viz PWD or PGSY etc. thus given them comolete freedom to delay jobworks and misuse the tax payers money for their personal beneficience.

The team of JAGO UTTARAKHAND led by me and investigative journalist Ashutosh Negi were invited by a RTI activist Gandhi Singh Negi of village Kathur under Sithonsyun patti of Pauri Garhwal district to examine the pitiable condition of the job work of 5.5 kilometre KHOLA SHYALANGI KOT BLOCK MOTOR ROAD executed in the year 2013- 14 under the Prime Minister’s Rural Road Scheme with the staggering budget of Two Crores Forty Eight Lakhs and additional 17.29 lakhs for maintenance till May 2019.

But according to the social activist n RTI expert Gandhi Singh Negi the aforesaid 5.73 kilometre road is today in extremely bad and tormented shape despite the fact that he and one Ram Dayal Singh Patwal of the nearby village have filed number of applications in the RTI department seeking information about the alleged huge corruption committed in this work.

They haven’t acknowleged any response to their queries till date despite repeated reminders. These seventy year old activists have now got tired in view of the negative and the complacent atyitude of the officials concened.

Not only this but Mr. G. S. Negi has also met the Executive Engineer Pandey and the Chief Secretary, Uttarakhand government in this regard but of no avail.

According to Negi there is allegedly ramphant corruption in various departments of Uttarakhand and the complianants are never satisfied with fool proof answers or replies.

In this Khola Shyalangi Road of Pradhanmantri Gramin Sadak Yojna which starts from Daanda Pani via Kathur to Kot Block there have been number of irregularities as the maintenance budget of about 17.23 lakhs has seldom been used keeping in view the extremely bad condition of the road with majority of its Parapets lying broken with their waste lying on the road, the road having been caved in posing immense danger to the passers by and the border drains unrepaired with myriad number of wild plants grown along the roads. There are umpteen number of potholes on the road posing a direct risk to those plying their motor bikes and four wheelers here.

The RTI activist Gandhi Singh Negi who carries with him the copies of complaints n applications pertaining to this road has demanded an impartial enquiry in this scandal/ scam and has urged the chief minister to personally intervene in the matter by bringing forth the alleged corruption carried out by the concerned company who’ve executed the job of this road. Mr. Negi has also sent several complaints to the PMO in this regard but of no avail.