Collector S. Valarmathi has ordered the suspension of panchayat secretary of Uriyur village near Arakkonam town on Thursday for not informing the district administration about the failure of not opening the new panchayat office building. The building was built with fund from the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) nearly a decade ago.
DRDA officials said that K. Srinivasan, 52, panchayat secretary, Uriyur village which comes under Arakkonam taluk in the district, was aware of the completion of the building but did not inform the higher officials of DRDA and the district administration about it. As a result, the new office has not been put to use all these years.
“The said panchayat secretary recently re-joined duty after he was under suspension earlier for other reasons. A detailed inquiry is being held against the dereliction of duty for delay in opening of the new office,” G. Loganayagi, Project Director, DRDA, Ranipet, told The Hindu.
It was during routine inspection of infrastructure works in Arakkonam taluk on Thursday that the Collector noticed the newly built office which was locked.
DRDA officials said that Uriyur was formed as a separate village panchayat in 1980s. Since then, the panchayat office of the village was functioning in a make-shift accommodation. The State government gave nod for permanent building for the panchayat at a cost of ₹13 lakh during 2014-15. Subsequently, the new office was ready.
Delay in payment
However, DRDA officials said that delay in payment to the private contractor by the block development office (BDO), Arakkonam, had left the new office locked. In 2020, the district administration released ₹8 lakh of the total cost. With the remaining payment not paid, the building continued to remain locked.
At present, DRDA officials said that of the total 288 village panchayats in the district, around 40 offices run in own buildings, while the rest are operated in rented accommodation and old buildings. A proposal for construction of a new office in 45 village panchayats has been sent to the State government for nod, officials said.
