Contractor, assistant held for sub-standard construction of anganwadi 

BARIPADA:  Moroda Police arrested a contractor and his assistant for their alleged involvement in the sub-standard construction of an anganwadi centre in Moroda region of Mayurbhanj district. The construction was made using sal tree branches and not iron rods.  

The arrests were made after an FIR was lodged by Moroda BDO Sagar Pal against the contractor Jayanta Kumar Das and his assistant Chakradhar Pal of Gadigoan village. The substandard construction work of the Anganwadi centre using sal tree branches instead of iron rods was highlighted by The New Indian Express “Sal tree branches replace iron rods in Mayurbhanj Anganwadi centre!” on Friday.

The residents of the Doctor Mahali and Jatila Mahali villages had alleged poor quality of construction being done by the contractor where most pillars were made with the support of branches of sal trees. Neither was the contractor taking any interest in watering the constructions to strengthen the walls and pillars, they had further alleged. The work was reportedly being done at night to avoid attracting the attention of authorities.

Contacted, Mayurbhanj Collector Vineet Bhardwaj said basing on news reports, that he had ordered the BDO to take immediate action against the contractor and the engineer who had been monitoring the angawadi centre project at Mahalisahi. 

“After FIR against the contractor, notice has been served to the JE to reply on the matter. The contractor will be blacklisted,” said the Collector. The two arrested have been remanded in judicial custody after their bail pleas were rejected in court.