Lefripada: The motive of plantation drive carried out under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in Sundargarh district’s Ujjwalpur range is being questioned widely in the area as several irregularities have come to fore.
According to available information, Rs 6.13 lakh was sanctioned to carry out a plantation drive along both sides of Ujjwalpur-Sargipali Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak under MGNREGA in the financial year 2018-19. Out of the sanctioned money, Rs 4.68 lakh was spent on plantation.
But the real picture tells a different tale.
According to the rulebook, for every project taken up under MGNREGA, there must be a notice board at the site giving details about the work such as its cost and duration. These boards are meant to enable common men to know the details of the project.
However, in case of the plantation drive carried out along Ujjwalpur-Sargipali, the rule has been flouted. No notice board can be seen anywhere along the stretch.
Similarly, six kilometres of the road had been planned to be included in the plantation drive. But, the plantation was allegedly carried out along 1.5 kilometres. Most of the planted saplings have died while the remaining are dying owing to lack of proper care and maintenance. The few saplings that have survived can be seen covered with unwanted growth of wild weed.
These are among the things that have given credence to the allegation that the government money has been misappropriated.
Record suggests that Rs 4,68,798.76 has been spent for this project while 70 labourers were engaged to carry out the task. The breakup of the expenditure shows: Rs 70,980 was spent towards labourers’ wages and Rs 3,97,818.76 was spent towards buying materials. Rs 11,250 was spent for procuring cow dung while Rs 19,700 was spent on the notice board and other ancillary things.
The local people, however, have alleged that no cow dung was ever used while the saplings were being planted. And the notice board too was never there.
When asked about the plantation drive carried out along the sides of Ujjwalpur-Sargipali road, Ujjwalpur ranger Sangram Keshari Manihira admitted it that the planted saplings have either died or withered, ascribing it to the staff shortage and lack of maintenance arising thereof.
“There used to be a notice board but it has been stolen. The same thing has happened to the tree guards. We do not have watchmen to carry out post care of the planted saplings. Moreover, no one wants to work as a night watchman as the payment provided under MGNREGA is comparatively low and the final disbursement takes time. That said, a ranger has no role to play in implementing MGNREGA. It is the job of block officials and foresters,” he added.
Besides Ujjwalpur-Sargipali road, saplings were also planted under the plantation drives under MGNREGA along Tangarmunda-Tedagamahan road, Kutra-Tinakuda panchayat road, Mangasapur-Kurla road, Sagarpali-Dhaunraadha road, Mahulapali industry-Kurga road, Mahulapali-Kanakajura road, Kepse-Khamarbahal road, Kirkela-Karuabahal road, Kirkela-Dubedanda road and Kirkela-Kurudunguri road. And all these roads are under Ujjwalpur range.
And these saplings are also suffering the same unfortunate fate owing to the indifferent attitude of the administration.
