Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, July 4: The construction work on the three Government school buildings that are being built under erstwhile Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has been shelved for the want of funds in Handwara zone of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
The construction work on three schools comprising Middle School Chotipora, Central School Warput and Primary School Khanabal was left midway owing to cost escalation. The school buildings were taken up for execution by the end of 2010 and almost 80 percent of the work is complete.
Officials privy to the details said there has been no progress in the work since 2016 and the Government has failed to order an inquiry against the officials and contractors for leaving the construction midway. They said the funds worth lakhs of rupees have gone down the drain by abandoning the project.
For instance, the officials informed, out of an estimated Rs 9.99 lacks around Rs 9.35 lakhs have been released for the under-construction Primary School Khanabal but the school building is far from completion. “Withholding the pending amount has ruined the entire project. The building has suffered damages even before being made functional,” an official said.
The locals also lamented the callous attitude of the authorities towards these projects highlights their commitment to the education sector. “Except for some finishing works, the building is almost complete. The work continued smoothly for around two years and after that, the project was abandoned,” Arshid Malik, a local living near Primary School Khanabal, told Excelsior. He added the building could be easily put to use if doors and windows are fixed.
Zonal Education Officer Handwara, Shabir Ahmad, said that they have sent the estimates of the revised cost to the government for the approval. “The revised estimate has been prepared, but the Government is yet to release the funds. The pending work will be taken up once funds are released,” he said.
Asked about the delay in the completion of the buildings, he said they have sent several notices to the contractors for slow pace of work. “We have even lodged an FIR against one contractor for leaving the construction work in midway,” he said.
He added the buildings have not been handed over to the Education Department and contractors have to make sure the building is in a good shape, “it is the duty of the contractors to take care of the buildings. The complete repair work has to be done by him,” he said.
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