Information procured under the Right to Information Act has revealed financial irregularities in the construction of public toilets and bathrooms between 2005 and 2012-13 in Badagaon Gram Sabha in the Joshimath area.
According to sources, the block development officer has informed that Rs 6,10,000 was spent on construction of seven public toilets and bathrooms between 2005-06 and 2012-13 in Badagaon Gram Sabha. However, according to the Badagaon Gram Pradhan, Rs 4,22,500 was spent on constructing 11 toilets and bathrooms between 2008-09 and 2010-11. Other anomalies have also been revealed by information procured under the Right To Information Act. Such anomalies hint at the major anomalies being orchestrated in the execution of various government schemes in the rural areas.
The construction quality too is so inferior that one of the toilet and bathroom constructed in 2009-10 collapsed in 2014 raising questions at the functioning of the department concerned. Though the anomalies have been revealed only in the construction of public toilets and bathrooms in Badagaon Gram Sabha, locals point out that if such works executed in all Gram Sabhas of the development block in the past 10 years are verified then financial irregularities amounting to crores of rupees will be exposed.
When asked about this, the district development officer Mohammed Aslam said that action will be taken against officials responsible if financial irregularities are exposed.