Corruption continues at the root: contractor and site engineer missing at an erosion protection wall building site in Katigorah

Cases of corruption continue at the very roots even though the government promises to build a system free from exploitation. This time, the Water Resources Department officials and the contractors involved in this are the ones who have been deceiving the common people and corrupting this system with low-grade materials and neglecting the work they are assigned. A village in Katigorah has been the victim of flooding and erosion for long 50 years. This village, Shantipur lies by the bank of the Barak river and every year during the floods, the meandering Barak washes away parts of their land from the village. The prevention of this river bank erosion has been a long-standing demand of the villagers.

When Pijush Hazarika, the Water Resources Minister visited the site, he approved the building of a protection embankment for the 130-metre erosion-affected area. The work started as well and engineers of the water resources department and contractors were appointed. But the villagers have alleged that the corruption started in no time. The engineers stopped the site visit and the contractors too started using low-grade building materials for building the embankment.

The villagers have repeatedly complained about this lack of responsibility and gross violation of building standards and the use of low-grade bricks and other building materials. None of the whistleblowers were heard. When Barak Bulletin reporter reached the site on Wednesday, no site engineers were found there. Later, an individual who claimed to be the SA of the construction site came there, but as soon as he saw the camera, he started to walk away. When asked about his role in this construction he denied any responsibility and asked the reporter to question his senior authorities for an answer. Hussain Ahmed Choudhury who claimed himself to be the SA had no response when asked about the construction.

On the construction site, there was no signboard of construction work stating the details of the work. A local villager alleged, “The bricks used in the construction are so brittle one can break it with bare hands. If with such conditions, the construction of the protection wall is done, one rainy season will wash away the entire wall”.

He further said, “We have been fighting for the protection wall and embankment since the time of Santosh Mohan Dev, but nothing was done for this sinking river bank. It has been 50 years now, and the last time when Pijush Hazarika visited this site, the work was approved and we really thank him for this. But soon after, the SDO stopped visiting the site and he appointed people who don’t know anything about construction of this site. There is no signboard or any details of the work. Nowadays people put up signboards long before work starts, but there is nothing here. As per our knowledge, the first work here is the slope and the horizontal protection wall and drain and then the END. But the contractor has brought bricks here first for the drainage but the bricks are so low quality that water will dissolve them. They are just blocks of raw soil”.

The locals have demanded an enquiry into this lack of responsibility and the corruption practices. This sinking zone affects almost 10 villages in the area and many houses washed away into the river in the past. The locals fear this sort of protection wall won’t survive the wrath of the Barak river’s flow during the monsoons.