The administration of several districts in western Uttar Pradesh has initiated action against gram panchayat level officials and village heads for irregularities in the implementation of the Open Defecation Free (ODF) project in the villages of Meerut, Bulandshahr and Saharanpur.
After a probe revealed that sub-standard material was used in the construction of toilets in the Racchauti village of Machhara block in Meerut, Divisional Commissioner Prabhat Kumar ordered that an FIR be registered against officials associated with the project, including the village head, panchayat officer and Assistant Development Officer of the panchayat.
The Block Development Officer and the Assistant Development Officer of the panchayat were earlier suspended after allegation of corruption surfaced last month. The official probe revealed that the village and block level officers, in nexus with the village head, had declared the Racchauti village ODF. It was claimed that 444 toilets had been constructed. On the ground, only 80 toilets of the total 444 were constructed. Construction work in 83 other toilets was still on. Sub-standard quality material was used in the construction of the 80 toilets. Work had not even started in the rest of the 281 toilets when the probe was done.
Similarly, 192 villages in Bulandshahr district were declared ODF. According to the probe report, not even half of the residents of Kishanpur village of Sikandarabad sub-division have toilets at their homes. The villagers had complained that people were forced to defecate in the open even as the village was declared ODF on paper.
District Public Relation Officer Amarjeet Singh said that a report had been demanded from panchayat level officials who had declared the village ODF. “Action will be taken against the officials responsible if the allegation is found to be true,” Mr. Singh said.
