The New Indian Express 21.09.2010
Not keeping up to schedule costs ` 5.65 cr to St
BHUBANESWAR: THE State Government had to incur a loss of `5.65 crore as it could not complete pipe water scheme on schedule. The latest report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has brought to the fore how the project could not be completed because of government inaction and opposition from the locals.The State Government gave administrative approval for augmentation of water supply to Rairangpur municipality in June 2003 at an estimated cost of ` 5.83 crore under the Accelerated Urban Water Supply Programme (AUWSP) sponsored by the Centre.
The project envisaged drawing water from the Khadkhai irrigation project reservoir at Suleipat in Mayurbhanj district. The project was targeted for commissioning in 2005.
As the AUWSP was scheduled for closure in 2006-07, the Centre stipulated that in case the project was not completed by April 2007, no further funds would be provided and the amount already released was to be refunded with penal interest.
The project started from February 2004 and the major components like water pumping systems, the underground and overhead reservoirs and raw water conveying main pipeline for 4 km were completed by July 2006.
But, when the laying of the remaining 12-km conveying main pipeline was about to be taken up, the local villagers protested and did not allow further execution on apprehension that the water in the reservoir would not be adequate to irrigate their agricultural fields after release of water for the drinking water scheme.
The CAG said further work of the project was not allowed to be executed as on January 2009 calling for refund of the Central share of ` 2.92 crore with penal interest.
The expenditure of ` 5.65 crore on the project remained unfruitful including the cost of 11,816 meters of ductile iron pipes for ` 1.34 crore purchased for raw water main pipeline.
