ROURKELA: Alleging substandard work in construction of ground rainwater harvesting structures (RWHS) in Rourkela city, the Congress has blamed the ruling dispensation of squandering funds in the name of development.
Former president of Rourkela District Congress Committee (RDCC) Biren Senapati pointed out that one such structure near Nirmal Market was constructed close to a defunct tubewell while another at Labour Tenament was built near an unused tubewell.
“With maximum households getting piped water supply rendering tubewells useless, funds could have been used efficiently to conserve water instead helping benefit contractors,” said Senapati. The Public Health & Engineering Organisation (PHEO) has 1,791 tubewells under its jurisdiction and initially direction was received for construction of single pit water harvesting structure near all tubewells.However, after delay, work has started on around 400 sites with each single pit water harvesting structure costing about Rs 25,000 each.
Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) recently constructed numerous double and triple pit RWHS with help of SHGs at parks, playgrounds and open spaces in government offices but the quality of work is questionable. “There should be social audit about the quality of the works undertaken to check if the site selection has been done properly,” added Senapati.
Under Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan Yojana (MUKTA), an urban wage employment scheme, the RMC before commencement of the monsoon had constructed about 603 pits through local SHGs with a total expenditure of Rs 1.83 crore.
RMC Deputy Commissioner Sudhanshu Bhoi said such structures are necessary for water conservation and ground water recharge, adding the RMC has awarded works in a transparent manner and the sites have been chosen to tap maximum rainwater.