Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 31: It has been more than two years since devastating floods hit Kashmir Valley but bills worth crores of rupees of contractors are pending thereby forcing them to ‘indefinitely suspend’ works on all major developmental works in Kashmir.
The contractors said they have decided not to carry any development works until the pending bills are cleared. “We will not carry development works until Government clears the liabilities. Yesterday, we locked down the office of Chief Engineer to protest against this inordinate delay. The authorities have given us a week’s time and if they fail to clear the liabilities we will launch statewide protests,” said Jammu and Kashmir Contractors Coordination Committee (JKCCC) president, Ghulam Jeelani Purza.
He said after September 2014 floods, Government approached the contractors to carry macadamization and repair works. “At that time, the then Chief Engineer approached me and said State needs your services and don’t bother about funds, we have funds available with us. Once you are done with the work. We will give you the money immediately”, he said.
“Given this assurance, we went door to door to rope in contractors to do the job. Our houses were also inundated but we choose the work for the larger good of society. The Government has deceived us,” Purza said.
He said that Government owes them over Rs. 263 crore on part of work done under cities and towns while liabilities under different heads such as SDRF and PMDF are more than Rs. 200 crores thereby having an aggregate liability of Rs. 500 crores.
He further said the Roads and Buildings Department released an amount of Rs 400 crores after the contractors protested for several days. “Rs. 200 crores each for Kashmir and Jammu division were released. The funds were released to an outstanding amount of nearly Rs. 1000 crores. Bills worth Rs. 700 crores were pending for blacktopping of more than 1400 kilometres roads in the State”, Purza said.
When contacted, Chief Engineer, Roads and Building Department, Sheikh Abdul Hamid said they have taken up the matter with the higher ups and within week’s time the funds will, hopefully, be released. “I have brought the matter to the notice of concerned minister and he has assured that the bills will be released in next week”, he told Excelsior.
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