Biplab Kr Dey
Resubelpara, Feb 16: The Resubelpara unit of the Garo Students’ Union 9GSU) has raised serious concerns over the functioning of the Executive Engineer (EE) of the Water Resources (WR) department of NGH alleging that the officer in question hardly ever visited the field to look at ongoing projects in the district.
Further the NGO also alleged that the EE, DP Muktieh, was not only denying local contractors from getting any work related to the department while accusing him of bringing people from outside the district to handle work within the department.
“Firstly, instead of monitoring the field works of WR, the officer has made his office as his only workplace. Besides he has also not submitted estimates for new work which had led to a huge loss for people of the district. There are literally no tenders that have been allotted to local contractors as he prefers those from the plain belt of WGH to come and work in our district, for reasons best known to him,” stated a release by the GSU.
They also accused the EE of not releasing payments that have been pending for local contractors preferring rather to pay those that he has chosen. The EE has also been accused of not supporting locals from the area when it came to transfers, alleging this was due to his own self interest.
“Even new tender calls have only been made at very short notice leaving the local contractors with literally no options,” they added.
Further the NGO added that the officer in question was unwilling to take a transfer out of the district despite two such orders being provided to him.
“The EE of SGH came twice to take over charge of the district but every time the EE did not vacate and sought permission to stay back. This clearly shows that there is more to what is taking place than what meets the eye,” added the NGO.
The NGO added that they were extremely unhappy with the work of the engineer as there were projects that have been missed for the district (under RIDF) due to him not submitting estimates.
“NGH is not a dumping ground for engineers like him who don’t care for the local population. He needs to be out of our district as we are fearful that the new round of projects that are due for the district will go the same way as it did before – to outsiders from the plain belt of WGH,” they added.
According to highly placed sources from the department, the NGH EE, has been unwilling to move despite an order by the government for his transfer. The officer in question was given the order for transfer on Jan 25 but has continued to stay in the district despite not even getting a stay order. He was ordered to join as EE of SGH, taking over charge from the EE of SGH.
The EE however could not be reached for comment.