Another inspection of construction sites by the chief minister and another first hand experience of what is going on in the name of development works--no not in the obscure village of Kishanganj or Banka, but in Kankarbagh, which also happens to be his in-laws place.
Nitish Kumar lost cool and rebuked the authorities and engineers concerned after he inspected a couple of construction sites. Not only that the furious chief minister ordered initiating legal action against the firm: the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC).
It was just a repeat performance. Like on June 1 last year the chief minister on April 3 set out to inspect some drainage construction sites in Kankarbagh. Last June he inspected several drainage cleaning sites in the city and found the work not upto the mark. He chided the officials concerned for the poor quality of works. They, in turn, assured Nitish that from thenceforward the quality of work would improve. But a month later when rain came the whole city was exposed to the worst type of water-logging in its living memory.
On Thursday Nitish found the bricks, stonechips and other materials being used for construction of the drains as sub-standard and ordered a thorough inquiry into the matter. He ordered the Senior Superintendent of Police of Patna, Amit Kumar, to lodge criminal case against the construction agency. Nitish also sought explanation from the Chief Engineer of the NBCC for using the sub-standard materials in the construction of drains.
The chief minister, who was visibly upset over the construction works, said the whole structure would collapse on its own and it would have to be reconstructed in a short span of time. He warned that no agency engaged in construction work would be spared if it was found compromising with the quality of works.
Once bitten twice shy. The citizens of Patna, especially of Kankarbagh, are putting their fingers crossed. With such a poor quality of work they can only hope against hope for a better monsoon ahead.
Source: www.bihartimes.com April-05-2008
