The government has decided to probe the reasons for the extensive damage caused to roads within a year after completing the work and blacklist the contractors who committed lapses in executing the works, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said.
Briefing reporters about the decisions of a Cabinet meeting here on Wednesday, Mr. Chandy said that if the contractors were responsible for the damage, they would have to do the maintenance at their own cost and if it was due to the lapses of the Public Works Department officials, stringent action would be taken against them.
He said performance guarantee would be made an integral part of the work awarding pact. The PWD had submitted a rough estimate of Rs.431 crore for repairing the damaged roads. The Finance Department would sanction the funds after examining the estimated. Public Works Minister V.K. Ebrhaim Kunju would tour all the districts between August 11 and 30 and hold discussions with MPs, MLAs and officials to assess the damage and complete the works within a timeframe.
Monsoon relief
Mr. Chandy said that an all-party delegation would leave for Delhi either on August 9 or 10 on getting an appointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to apprise him of the damage wreaked by the monsoon. The delegation would also demand the Centre to sanction funds for addressing the damage due to sea erosion. Sea erosion has gnawed large tracts of coastal land and destroyed thousands of houses. This should be included in the purview of natural disaster and relief provided. The resistance of the Planning Commission was the only hitch. The Union Finance Commission had earlier sanctioned Rs.125 crore, and that was too inadequate, he said.
Compensation would be given for the natural calamities.
