AB Sharma
Early Times Report
RAJOURI, June 12: The modus operandi of the department of relief and rehabilitation in the aftermath of 2014 floods in the state has brought certain corrupt practices to the fore in Sunderbani of Rajouri district.
Immediately after the flash floods that hit the state, Rajouri district administration as other districts was asked to frame a relief and rehabilitation committee of officers drawn from different department to gauge the quantity and nature of the damage to the houses of the people and other damages to be covered under relief .
In this regard officers from Revenue department, Agriculture department and block development office were engaged to prepare the list of the beneficiaries in the wake of the flash floods.
However after the list was prepared by the concerned officers and the relief in terms of financial assistance distributed to the beneficiaries, it was found that some bogus people were given the benefits of the financial assistance and the poor and needy were ignored and not even made aware of the government scheme.
"Though teams quite often frequented our places to assess the damages and even took our account numbers and other details for transferring of the help through kind and cash, but after so many years nothing came to us. We had to repair our houses on our own" said Goverdhan Dass , a poor farmer at Sunderbani , whose entire crop field was washed off due to incessant rains and floods of 2014 , besides leaving his muddy shanty in tatters .
The people of the area alleged that though a list was prepared, but beneficiaries were rich and influential only, who were actually ineligible .
The people of the area even lodged complaint with District Commissioner Rajouri as well as Vigilance Organization, but no action has been initiated yet.
" We demand that a proper vigilance enquiry should be initiated against the black sheep ," said Kuldeep Raj , a shopkeeper whose shop was washed off and who is presently running a small kiosk in its place . |
