Patna, (Bihar Times): 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.
