An allegation of large-scale irregularities in construction of toilets in Hemgiri block of Sundargarh district has come to the fore.
Following complaints of local public here, the Sundargarh Collector while directed an inquiry into the matter on Tuesday, the Executive Engineer of Rural Water Sanitation Service formally started the inquiry on Wednesday.
Sources said the villagers of Alapaka panchayat under Hemgiri block had lodged a written complaint before the
Sundargarh Collector recently. In their complaint, they alleged that the executing agency although have claimed to have completed the work and released full payments towards construction of about 80 to 100 toilets under Alapaka panchayat, there were no sight of toilets.
They alleged that the officials seemed to be hands in glove with the contractors, for siphoning the amount.
Sources said in Alapaka and Sagjor panchayats, construction of about 500 toilets has reportedly been done, whose payments were released before implementation of the model code of conduct for general elections, a couple of months back.
Sundargarh RWSS Executive Engineer Dayanidhi Samal said, “We are now doing spot verification to ascertain, how many toilets are exactly missing.”