It is alleged that the Swachh Bharat Mission is in a complete limbo in Narasinghpur block of Cuttack district due to negligence on the part of the concerned authority.
Though all sorts of assistance are given by the Government for construction of toilets under the mission, it is not being implemented for the alleged negligence by the concerned authority.
“Where in some cases, work order for construction of toilets is not issued; in others, fund for the construction is not provided even after repeated request to the concerned authority,” lamented a villager.
Sources said while 25,000- 35,000 families of 33 gram panchayats under Narasinghpur block are listed in the beneficiary list for construction of toilets, only 5,009 among them have been issued work orders.
Of them, only 257 have been given funds for the constructions. Notably two junior engineers of the Water and Sanitation Department village office were entrusted with the responsibility of construction of toilets in 31 gram panchayats barring Gusipada and Godabandha.
While over 6,000 work orders have been issued, only 200 beneficiaries have been granted monetary aid. When asked, junior engineer Sanjay Nayak, who is in-charge of 10 panchayats, said over 4,500 people have been given work order while 192 of them have received monetary aid. More 200 beneficiaries would be given the fund this week, he added. But in the rest 21 gram panchayats, while 2,032 people are given work orders, only 63 of them have received money for the construction work. It is also alleged that the officials were demanding bribe from the beneficiaries for providing the monetary aid meant for construction of toilets.
Even after repeated attempts, junior engineer Pankajini Mohapatra, In-charge of the 21 gram panchayats, could not be contacted for her reaction.
The beneficiaries along with other PRI members have demanded before the Collector and the Panchayati Raj Department Secretary to order a high-level probe into the irregularities. They threatened to launch an agitation in coming days if their demand is not met.