SANGUEM: Netravali Sarpanch Bunda Varak has been once again accused of corruption, this time he is under the scanner for allegedly paying a contractor for a gutter in Vichundrem ward, which wasn’t constructed.
The total amount sanctioned for the construction of a gutter was Rs 5,26,520, out of which Rs 4,53,731 had already been paid to the contractor. The gutter was supposed to be built from Albert Pacheco’s house to Ramesh Gaonkar’s house at Vichundrem. The villagers visited the site and found that no gutter was built.
Taking up the matter, Netravali panchayat member Rakhi Prabhudesai Naik said that the work order was issued during the fortnight meeting of the panchayat held on August 29, 2023. But in the next fortnight meeting on September 30, 2023, the panchayat decided to make the final payment to the contractor.
According to Rakhi, the work order was issued for two months, but within a month on September 25, the contractor wrote to the sarpanch stating that the gutter work had been completed and to issue him a completion certificate. On the same day, the sarpanch gave a completion letter to the contractor, she charged.
Rakhi said that this ward is represented by the sarpanch. Albert Pacheco said that he had been raising the issue during every gram sabha as it was becoming difficult even to come out of the house due to waterlogging. He said that the sarpanch had assured him to construct a gutter but it was never built.
On the other hand, sarpanch Varak claimed that the gutter had been constructed, even though there was no gutter. The villagers narrated the problems they faced during monsoon due to lack of a gutter.
