G Noida contractor got funds to clean 2 ponds, but no work began, say villagers

A contractor received funds from the Greater Noida authority without cleaning and beautifying two ponds in the Vaidpura and Bhola Rawal villages of Greater Noida, officials familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The contractor claims to have spent 76 lakh, but according to a complaint filed by village residents, no work has begun at the two sites.

According to the rules, when a specific work is completed, the contractor is responsible for erecting a public information board at the work site with details for general public use and to maintain transparency.

“Without performing any cleaning or beautification work at the site of the two ponds, the contractor has erected a public display board claiming to have completed the job. The contractor has also begun collecting payment for the work before even starting work at the site. When we filed a complaint with the authority, the contractor removed the board from the site. We have video footage of the contractor removing the board. This corruption is at its height because the contractor has no regard for public funds or rules,” said Pradip Dahalia, a complainant and resident of nearby Sunpura village.

According to the public information board, the contractor said the work began on May 22 and will be completed on August 4, 2023. The Greater Noida authority has launched a drive to desilt and beautify the ponds in all 124 villages ahead of the monsoon season. The goal of the move is for the ponds to help conserve rainwater and recharge the groundwater table.

“However, the authority’s officials are not serious about cleaning and beautifying ponds in this city because they work hand in hand with contractors who claim funds without even doing the job. The authority’s top officials or the state government must do something to stop the misuse of public funds,” said Akash Vashishtha, an environmentalist.

“We have received a complaint about the contractor’s error and are taking appropriate steps to correct it. The board has been removed, and work will begin soon,” said Rajesh Kumar, senior manager of the Greater Noida authority. According to officials familiar with the matter, this is not the first time the contractor has made the mistake of claiming to complete work without actually starting it. “Previously, the authority imposed a penalty in a similar case in another village,” said Kumar.

On May 30, the Greater Noida authority imposed a penalty of 5.5 lakh on the same contractor for violating rules while de-silting and beautifying two ponds in Kheri village. The same contractor posted a public information board claiming to have cleaned the pond without beginning any work at the site. The penalty was imposed after villagers brought the matter to the attention of the Greater Noida authority. After the work was completed, the contractor was supposed to put up a ‘public information board’ with details of the project’s budget, start date, and completion date, as directed by the authority.