Badnawar: In an era of e-learning, students of many government primary schools in Badnawar tehsil of Dhar district are†still forced to attend classes under the open sky as the construction of additional classrooms at 17 schools are yet to be completed due to alleged negligence of gram panchayat and the contractor.
Sarpanch and sarpanch secretary withdrew over 80 per cent of sanction amount. The delay in construction raises question over intentions of the decision makers.
The department concerned has now forwarded recovery letters†to the respective gram panchayats.
In 2009-10, an additional room was sanctioned at the cost of Rs 2.64 lakhs in Government primary school of Kodalipada village under Chhayan gram panchayat. Before the construction of additional room could start, another room of Rs 2.64 lakh was approved in the year 2010-11--work of both the rooms remain incomplete.
In Chhayan village, work of four additional rooms in the Government Boys Middle School located near panchayat and that of an additional room in the primary school of Piplipada is incomplete. In 2010-11, some amount was withdrawn for four additional rooms in the government middle school of Kachibadauda gram panchayat but the work was abandoned after construction till the plinth level.
Work of an additional room of government middle school of Bherupada gram panchayat and an additional room for the primary school in ??Pandaakapada and three additional rooms in the government middle school Kanwasa village remain incomplete.
Village kids are being deprived of the†benefit of the whole exercise due to the delays with every passing year.
In Dharpikheda village, the amount for construction of two toilets in the school premises was also withdrawn, but the construction is yet to begin. At the rate of Rs 2.64 lakh per room and Rs 1.30 lakh per toilet, a total of Rs 47.48 lakh was withdrawn by sarpanch and sarpanch secretaries from a different village, but the construction of 17 classrooms at different government primary and middle schools and two toilets at two government schools are yet to be completed.
The†block resource coordinator issued several notices and the matter was also raised during the departmental audit.
Block resource coordinator DN Gujarati said that initially 59 cases were filed for recovery from Gram Panchayats. Out of which only 21 cases are pending. Department will initiate recovery in three to four cases soon.
Gujarati admitted that that department sanctioned construction of additional classes at two places including Bhakhatgarh but due to delay the utility of the work has been exhausted. Therefore, the amount deposited by the panchayat is being returned, BRC Gujarati said.
