Two years on, Edu deptt fails to construct school building in Muslim Abad Bandipora

KNO Correspondent

Bandipora, Oct 26 (KNO): Authorities have miserably failed to complete the construction of a Government Middle School in Muslim Abad locality of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district in the last two years.

Locals told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the construction works on the school was started in March last year, however, the work is yet to be completed.

“In almost two years, the department has been able to construct its plinth only which speaks volumes about the callous attitude of the concerned authorities,” said Mohammad Yousuf, a local resident.

He said that the plinth was constructed in May last year and since then no work has been done as the construction work was left mid-way.

The locals said that the School was running from a rented accommodation as there was no building for the same and due to lack of space and infrastructure; it was later merged with another School in the locality.

“The clubbed schools now face space crunch as there are only three rooms available in the building. Two years ago, the land was identified for the construction of the school to overcome the space crunch, however, in two years only plinth has been constructed,” the locals said.

Meanwhile, sources said that around 14.80 lakh funds were released last year, after completion of the plinth, to construct the school building, however, the department has diverted those funds for some other purpose, thus leaving the school building incomplete.

When contacted Chief Education Officer (CEO) Bandipora, Javid Iqbal said that the contractor is reluctant to work as he wants the department to release the funds prior to starting construction work.

“Earlier, the procedure was that the funds for any construction would go to the concerned zones and the Zonal heads would divert those funds to concerned schools heads. Now, the procedure has changed, we have to get the work done first and then get the same authenticated by the engineering wing of the department,” he said.

He said after authentication from the engineering department, the same is to be submitted to the SPD for authorization of funds, however, the contractor is first asking for the release of funds and then he would start the construction work, which is not the procedure now. He added that funds were diverted only after a circular was issued by the higher-ups of the department to divert the construction funds for the salaries of SSA teachers last year.

“We have funds available for the construction purpose and there is a need to complete the school building as it lacks proper infrastructure, however, the concerned contractor is not willing to work,” CEO said—(KNO)