Team Herald
PANJIM: A complaint has been filed against PWD engineers of Div XVIII (R) at Anti-Corruption Bureau and Superintending Engineer Vigilance Officer of PWD at Altinho for substandard development works in Shiroda.
Despite the complaint, engineers of the Ponda PWD road division have been neglecting hot mixing work going on in Shiroda, complainant Pritam Naik of Shiroda said, adding “the PWD engineers are hand in glove with the contractor carrying out the hot mixing work.”
Another allegation has been made against the same division for constructing a culvert/footbridge in the property of one Shantaram Gaunkar of Shiroda without his consent. The complainant said the PWD has not followed proper procedure while constructing the bridge and that the land has not been acquired. “The work has been carried out illegally spending public funds for the benefit of a few people,” he added.
Gaunkar claims that he had earlier contacted the Ponda PWD office and complained in writing. However, an engineer called him on the phone and asked him to come to the Ponda PWD office and tried to ‘settle the matter’ by offering him money. He has mentioned the junior engineer’s phone number and the amount he was offered to withdraw the complaint.
Pritam Naik, a social activist from Shiroda, said the culvert construction work had been tendered at the cost of Rs 8,83,640, but the contractor has carried out sub-standard work. “If the PWD engineers or a technical team of ACB inspects the road, they would be able to see clearly that the work is of substandard,” he added.
He has urged the investigating agency to probe into the matter as, according to him, public funds have been misused for personal gain.
