SUNDERBANI: A protest was held by the members of Team Sunderbani, a voluntary organisation of social activists, against the local MLA Nowshera Ravinder Raina for threatening the officials of various departments especially PWD and seeking allotment of works in favour of his blue-eyed contractors.
The protesting social activists raised slogans against the MLA and demanded stern action against him for threatening the government officials and hindering their work. They alleged that Ravinder Raina had let loose a reign of terror across Sunderbani as he regularly threatens the government officials particularly those of PWD and PHE seeking allotment of works in favour of his blue eyed contractors, that too without tendering.
The protest was led by Vicky Sharma, Mangat Ram, Jeetraj, Amit Kumar, Ashok Kumar who alleged that works worth crores of rupee were already allotted in favour of MLA’s blue-eyed people but no work was visible on the ground while the entire amount stands released by the departments. “Vigilance Department should immediately launch a probe to unearth the scam which runs into crores of rupees with the active involvement of local MLA,” they demanded.
They said that several approved contractors were without work for the last one and half year as almost all the works stands allotted in favour of people recommended by the MLA without formal tendering which tantamount to corruption and should be thoroughly probed. They also stated that the press conference addressed by the MLA yesterday highlighting the frauds in R&B Rajouri was merely eyewash as he tried to divert the attention of public from the acts of corruption held under his patronage. They questioned, “How embezzlement of money can be held in R&B works in Rajouri when just tenders are notified and no money is released”, as claimed by the MLA.
They further alleged that a favourite of MLA has been made a payment of Rs 25 crore in lieu of various construction works by diverting all the available funds while others were waiting for last many years for clearance of their bills.