Water Resources Department (WRD), Chhattisgarh Government, has directed the Chief Engineer, Hasdeo Ganga Kachhar, WRD, Raipur for an inquiry into a complaint alleging embezzlement of crores of rupees in the construction of Nakna Canal and Dam and Wear, Mainpat. The Officer on Special Duty (OSD), WRD, has written to the Chief Minister on the complaint of RTI activist Advocate D K Soni. Soni had on October 24, 2020, complained to the Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh that State Government had on October 19, 2016 approved Rs 1,358.61 lakh for the construction of the abovementioned projects in Mainpat Janpad Panchayat.

 

The Department had released work order of Rs 4,16,34,670 on August 18, 2018 and the order was given to an Ambikapur based infrastructure company. As per the agreement, works should have been completed by July 18, 2019. Similarly, Wear work was awarded to another infrastructure company and released work order of Rs 4,21,89,000 and as per the agreement, work should have been accomplished by August 26, 2019.

 

The contractor of the project managed to arrange false certificate of completion of work in connivance with a senior official of Ambikapur and withdrew full amount on the basis of the certificate, alleged the complainant in his application to the Chief Secretary. Following the order of the Chief Secretary, the OSD in WRD directed the Chief Engineer to conduct an inquiry into the complaint and submit the report.