'Latrines built through NGO'
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 02 2015 :
Sanitary latrines which should be built under Total Sanitation Campaign for and by beneficiary BPL households themselves were built by an NGO in total contravention of the guidelines, according to a
CAG report.
Total Sanitation Campaign 2007 was implemented in the State's nine districts by PHED's Communication Capacity Development Unit (CCDU).
Beneficiaries should be paid money after they have constructed latrines under the scheme.
At the district level, the scheme was implemented by District Water and Sanitation Mission.
However, for 197 households of Dibong Gram Panchayat, Imphal East district, the work of constructing sanitary latrines was entrusted to an NGO on contract.
According to the terms of the contract, 197 latrines should be constructed within six months at the rate of Rs 3000 per latrine.
After construction of 100 latrines, a sum of Rs three lakh was released to the contractor/NGO in February 2010 .
Another NGO known as Icon Foundation based at Sagoltongba constructed 74 latrines at Top Chingtha GP at the total cost of Rs 2.22 lakh.
The manner in which 174 latrines were constructed within the two Gram Panchayats was in total contravention of the guidelines, remarked the CAG report.
Likewise, 1244 sanitary latrines were constructed through an NGO in Bishnupur district too.
It further remarked that the manner in which Rs 36.73 lakh was released as incentive was faulty.
Even as the department claimed that 1,59,298 latrines were constructed between 2009-10 and 2013-14 at the rate of Rs 46.64 crore (approximately), the CAG report maintained that the same amount would be enough for construction of 1,08,508 latrines only if the latrines were constructed at the rate laid down in the guideline.