Failing to get any positive response from the government and the officials concerned, contractors staged a one-day dharna at the Chikkodi division of the Karnataka Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Department (created out of the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj about two years ago) here on Monday.
The contractors shouted slogans against the Congress government and officials of the department for holding back payment of their bills accounting for more than Rs.45 crore since one to two years.
Speaking for the agitating contractors, spokesman Rajendra Kondebettu said there were nearly 300 contractors in Chikkodi division engaged in various construction and repair works but the government had not made full payment of the bills, affecting their works. Some of the contractors had raised loans to execute works and were paying interest.
He said the office at Chikkodi was neglected by the government and the senior officials in the department. Though the department came into existence about two years ago, the government appointed an executive engineer in May when only 15 days were left for his retirement. Thereafter, instead of appointing a senior officer as in-charge EE, the EE of Belagavi division, Vijay Raikar, took charge as in-charge of Chikkodi division. But, he did not attend to the contractors’ problems until today’s protest.
Mr. Raikar, who came here in the afternoon, said around Rs.48 crore was due to the contractors, which could not be paid due to technical reasons. However, he gave a written assurance to settle the dues within a week.
