SHILLONG: Despite multiple sanctions worth crores of rupees made at various intervals for construction of a road in Sutnga in East Jaintia Hills, the stretch has remained unattended prompting the village authorities to lodge a complaint on the matter.
In a statement issued here on Monday, the headman of Sutnga village, SD Lyngdoh said that in 2012-13, a sanction for Rs 10 crore was made by PWD, NEC division to extend the construction from 3 km to 22 km of the Sutgna-Sumer-Saipung road, but no work was carried out.
The village authorities lodged a complaint against the Executive Engineer, PWD (Roads), Jowai, NEC division in this regard.
Meanwhile, RTI findings revealed that the PWD has sanctioned over Rs 21 crore this year (Rs 21,19,73030) for construction of the same stretch of road (3 km to 22 km) under Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) for widening, metaling and black topping. The RTI was filed by the village headman.
What surprised the village authorities is that the sanction for the construction of 3 km to 22 km stretch was made twice even before completion of the 3 km road.
Recently, there was a move to construct the 3 km road by allegedly destroying the village forest and private properties which prompted the Dorbar Shnong of Sutgna to approach the higher authorities, including the Court of law, seeking redress from the PWD for widening the Sutnga-Sumer-Saipung road without consulting and obtaining permission from the community. On October 2, the village authorities stopped the construction of the road and filed an FIR against the contractor, Sylvanus Sukhlain.
Moreover, according to the headman, the village authorities found that the PWD had in 2012 and 2013 sanctioned around Rs 81,26,700 to construct the internal road at Sutgna village. It is suspected that the funds have been diverted.
Further, the 3.11 km Sutnga Bypass road supervised by PWD NEC division Jowai had in 2013 received sanction of Rs 3 crore from Special Plan Assistance of the Centre, but only less than 1 km was completed and the rest has remained abandoned for the last two years. The amount spent for the work was over Rs 2 crore (Rs 2,35,23000).
The headman said that the villagers cannot remain mute spectators to such discrepancies and demanded that the anomalies be rectified at the earliest.
