Tussle of the powerful ruins Lilong school
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 06 2011:
A local organisation has claimed that tussle over a school building contract work between the MOBC Minister and the Lilong AC MLA is threatening to comprise careers of local students.
Speaking to newspersons at Manipur Press Club today, Keibung Welfare Association assistant secretary Siraj Ahmed alleged that MOBC Minister Md Alaudin Khan assigned a contractor for construction of five classrooms of Keibung Primary School, which is located under Lilong assembly constituency.
However, the local MLA Hellaluddin raised objection against the Minister's move insisting that either the construction would be handled by contractor/sub-contractors approved by him or by others with his consent, maintained the secretary.
Informing that amid the tussle a contractor owing allegiance to the MOBC Minister dismantled three of the School's classrooms thereby leaving about 300 students without any basic facility to pursue their studies, Siraj also declared that in case differences, if any, is not resolved at the earliest and enable the students return to school intense agitation would be launched.
He further claimed that a contractor namely Md Yunus Khan with the approval of Minister Alauddin Khan produced work two copies of work order for the same task with the other work order identifying the contractor as Md Zunus Khan.
Apart from such confusing documents one of the work order was handwritten and the other a computer print-out, said Siraj who recounted that construction activities were evident about a month back.
He also quoted the Lilong AC MLA of questioning Alauddin's audacity to approve contractor of his (Alauddin) choice when the construction is to be carried out within his (Hellaluddin) constituency.
Peeved at the ongoing tussle over the contract work, a memorandum has been submitted to the Chief Minister highlighting the students as well as the local populace's plight, said the secretary who suggested that the CM ensure the classroom construction work begins with further delay to ensure its completion at the earliest.
Contending that contents of the work order produced by Md Yunus Khan neither specified in clear terms design of the school building nor was there provision for expansion plan which would be inevitable in case the primary school is upgraded to a junior high school level, Siraj informed that noting such discrepancies ZEO Thoubal had already prohibited dismantling of the classroom as well as against construction work.
He also highlighted that there is need for proper planning before construction activities begin as the school will have to be ultimately upgraded to accommodate increasing number of students in addition to the fact that some portion of the eastern compound of the school had been washed away due to its close proximity to the Lilong river.
Siraj further informed that inspite of the ZEO's restriction order, the contractor along with some individuals dismantled doors and windows of school against which the ZEO had filed a complaint at Thoubal police station, with no further information as whether anybody had been arrested.
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