Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information (RTI) Movement has appealed J-K Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) to enquire into the construction of link roads in Baramulla town last year during summer lockdown alleging that the material used for the construction was of sub-standard quality.
The Movement uploaded a video on their Facebook page, wherein an RTI activist, Sirajudin Salam, has said that he has been urging the authorities to take action against the engineers of R and B division Baramulla “for looting state exchequer as inferior quality material was used for link road construction (grade I, II and blacktopping) in Shalimar Colony Kanispora, Baramulla.”
He added that he has been appealing authorities since the last six months and still got only “10 per cent of the details through the RTI” filed by him. “We have obtained all the details under the RTI Act after a long wait of 6 months. The information was not provided in time within 30 days as we have no RTI commission in place,” he said in a statement issued by the RTI Movement.
Mr. Salam claimed that an amount of 96,00,000 rupees had been spent on construction of lanes and by-lanes and soon after the work was done the road got damaged as it developed potholes and cracks. Even the drains have developed cracks at several places. “This money comes from taxpayers and common people,” he said.
In the video, he further added that the officer involved in the alleged scam got himself transferred as soon as he came to know about the RTI filed by him. “I requested the authorities to find out the reason behind his transfer,” he said. “The corrupt Engineers and Contractor took advantage of that hartal and curfew last year and used all the sub standard material during execution of work. The road and drains got damaged within three to four months only.”
He also added that he informed the Deputy commissioner Ghulam Nabi Itoo, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Mohamad Ahsan Mir, and almost all the chief engineers regarding the scam but nobody took action against them. “I believe that the money is being distributed among all levels,” alleged Mr. Salam.
The Kashmir Walla tried to reach the DC, ADC, and Sheikh Basharat, Executive Engineer R&B Division Baramulla but none of them responded. The report will be updated, if they respond, accordingly.
Additional reporting by Gafira Qadir.