Sambalpur: Even as over 2,000 ponds have dried up this summer in this district due to the prevailing intense heat wave condition, an unspent sum of over Rs 28 crore in the panchayati raj department’s treasury only reflects the poor handling of funds by the district officials.
About 70 per cent of ponds in nine blocks have dried up after a de-silting programme by the government failed to take off. However, an amount of Rs 28.15 crore is still lying unspent with the district panchayati raj department, according to a report.
In the first phase, the district had received Rs 10.14 crore from the Central Finance Commission (CFC) August 5, 2015 for de-silting and excavation of ponds in the district. In the second phase grant February 4 this year, CFC sanctioned another Rs 10.13 crore for the purpose. The district further received Rs 3.94 crore from the State Finance Commission (SFC) August 13 and Rs 3.92 crore December 28 last year. However, the department is yet to spend a rupee from the grants even as several regions of the district are reeling under acute water scarcity this summer.
While the excavation of ponds has become a necessity in the wake of depleting groundwater level, the lack of sincerity at administrative level has left most of the ponds waterless, locals said.
They demanded the renovation and beautification of several ponds having historical significance under Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC). The water bodies included Ramsagar Bandh and several ponds at Cheruapada, Putibandh, Rohidasnagar, Betrapada and Ranimath areas. But the demands fell in deaf ears, the residents said, adding most of the ponds in the town are being encroached upon by the land mafia.
There are 136 panchayats in nine blocks of the district having 1,166 revenue villages and 1,707 wards. Twelve panchayats come under the SMC. Of the total population of 10, 44,410 of the district, over seven lakh people reside in rural areas. But the administration has so far failed to fulfill the water need of all the people of the district.
Additional district magistrate (ADM) Manish Agrawal said the renovation and excavation works are generally taken up in summer. Soon measures would be taken to spend the grant for the purpose, he added. The ADM said an inquiry would be conducted to ascertain the reasons for the funds lying unspent. PNN