Sitapur water tank collapse: Over a dozen govt staff face action
LUCKNOW The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday dismissed and suspended over a dozen employees in Sitapur where a newly constructed water tank built under the Jal Jeevan Mission collapsed earlier in the day.
The construction agency and the agency that checked the quality of the construction have also been blacklisted. As per reports, the water tank collapsed in Chunka village in Mahmudabad area of Sitapur district. However, no casualties have been reported so far.
The locals said the tank had been supplying water to the village for the past two months and it was constructed at an estimated cost of ₹531.50 lakh ( ₹5.31 crore).
This is the second incident within a year in Sitapur district involving the collapse of a Jal Jeevan Mission water tank. Last year, a tank in Chitahala village of Maholi constituency had collapsed during its trial run, leading to similar allegations of poor construction and negligence.
BJP MLA from Mahmudabad, Asha Maurya, in a post on X said, 'Information was received about the collapse of a water tank built in Chunka village of Mahmudabad. The concerned officials had already been informed about the substandard work done under Jal Shakti Mission.'
'The result of negligence in work due to collusion of water corporation officials and contractors was seen today. Please take strict punitive action against the lax related officers and contractors,' she said.
A state government officer said the junior engineer and assistant engineer of Jal Nigam (rural), who were monitoring the construction of the tank, have been suspended. A departmental inquiry has been initiated against the executive engineer of Jal Nigam (rural), assistant engineer and junior engineer.
The assistant engineer and the junior engineer of the state drinking water and sanitation mission have been dismissed with immediate effect. Instructions have been given to remove the district in-charge of third-party inspection (TPI) who checked the quality of the construction with immediate effect.
A 5% liquidated damage penalty has been imposed on the construction agency as well. A high-level committee has been formed for the preliminary investigation of the case. The committee will consist of a chief engineer of Jal Nigam (rural), a chief engineer of the state drinking water and sanitation mission and a superintending engineer of the department. The committee has been directed to submit its report within three days.
The officer said, more than 16,000 tanks constructed to supply the water under Jal Jeevan Mission had been successfully tested. Out of 16,000 tanks, complaints of damage have been received regarding five tanks. In the case of tank damage, action has been taken against those responsible for it with immediate effect, he said. (With agency inputs)
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