Kendrapara: Implementation of irrigation projects in Kendrapara district is being adversely affected by extortion and intimidation by gangsters active in the area.
The quality of construction is also being heavily compromised as the disturbing trend of tender-fixing of irrigation projects has reared its ugly head in Kendrapara, according to a report by the state water resources department.
With mafia ruling the roost terrorising companies engaged in construction of projects, the principal secretary of water resources department, P.K. Jena, has called upon the Odisha director general of police to intervene in the matter.
"It has been brought to our notice that there is breach of law and order at several work sites in irrigation divisions of Kendrapara, Aul, Mahanadi North and Manijanga. The criminals are threatening both the officials and contractors, badly affecting the work progress," said the principal secretary's letter to the director general of police.
Expressing helplessness in the state of affairs, the letter by Jena further said: "The anti-social elements are threatening contractors and officers of the water resources department. There are several instances of bombing at the work sites. The criminals are regularly visiting the work sites and are demanding huge sum as protection money.
On February 17, criminals had resorted to bomb throwing at four work sites to terrorise the contractors and get extortion money. A few days ago, criminals on fire set machinery and equipment at a construction site.
Tenders in irrigation divisions in the district are being compromised under the threat from these lawbreakers. The crime mongers have resurfaced yet again threatening fair and transparent tender process and smooth execution of work. Several officers and staffs working at the grass-root level are so scared of the armed criminals that they are unwilling to put forth their grievances in writing, principal secretary Jena said in the confidential note to DGP.
Officials of irrigation division here confided that police machinery had turned inept. Alleged slackness on part of law-enforcing agencies here has emboldened the criminals to target the officials and contractors. The gangsters of Kendrapara-based crime syndicates are masterminding the tender-fixing in various construction division offices here. Though the gangsters are now behind the bar, the lawbreakers were calling the shots and were carrying out the fixing racket through cell phones within the prison four walls.
Kendrapara police however differs. "About a dozen of bomb-throwing and extortion cases were reported last year. We cracked all the cases by putting the criminals behind the bar. This year no such report has registered so far. Unless the complainant comes forward in informing the police, we are not in a position to launch crackdown on the lawbreakers," said Kendrapara police superintendent Dayandihi Gochayat.
