PWD’s Oversight and Usage of Substandard Materials Questioned Following Ceiling Collapse in Junga Science Block
View of the broken ceiling of the Science Block
Shimla, February 19: A shocking incident has raised serious questions over quality of construction work by the Public Works Department (PWD) in Junga. The three-storey Science Block at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Junga, was completed only two years ago, raising questions on the use of substandard materials in the construction and the supervision of works by the concerned authorities. Luckily, no one was killed in the roof cave-in, but the building is no longer safe for science students, so it raises concerns about both student safety and public infrastructure at large.
The Science Block had been far from complete at the time of its hastily-organized opening by then-Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, on November 10, 2020. Though the inauguration was held prematurely, it took almost two years for the PWD to complete the work for the construction. The building was finally turned over to the Education Department in 2022. But shortly after, the school management committee raised serious concerns about the building’s structural safety.
Structural Problems Emerge Early
The difficulties with the building began almost a year and a half after the opening, when the ceiling began to show signs of damage, according to the school officials. The PWD was called to fix the monastery rooftop but the ceiling kept getting worse despite some repairs. Besides the leaks through the ceiling, the panes were broken in several windows and had not been replaced. All of which raises eyebrows on the use of substandard materials while constructing it.
The building is such an unsafe condition now, and especially, the roof collapse area along with the damages of the building, they [the authorities] found it insecure for students and faculty to use this Science Block further. The school has been thrown into disarray due to the well-constructed structure of the school, which those students depend on to study vital climbing subjects.
On PWD Oversight, Raising Questions
Locals and educational authorities have questioned how such a major error was allowed to happen in the first place, leading to major criticism of the PWD’s functioning following the ceiling collapse. The second of two new buildings for the school, delivered with taxpayer dollars, was supposed to give students and teachers a safe and dependable place to learn and work. Instead, it became a concern, with many blaming το contractor and the department for negligence.
The issue gained gravity when Rural Development Minister Aniruddh Singh attended the school’s annual function which was held recently and objected to the use of substandard material for building Science Block. Minister Singh pointed out that the PWD had failed to ensure the structural integrity of the building, which should have been identified and rectified during the building’s construction. He directed non issuance of further works to the contractor responsible for shoddy work.
Extensive Criticism about Works of Development of Government
Substandard Materials Used in Science Block in Junga Not an Isolated Case In this regard, Dr. Kuldeep Tanwar, the State President of the Kisan Sabha, has highlighted the systemic nature of the problem, where fraud in government development work is prevalent throughout the state. Tanwar adds that the nexus between the contractors and the government officials has seen projects use substandard material, ignoring safety and long-terms durability. He has called on government to investigate this pervasive issue and this issue of taxpayers money being squandered and this issue of this potentially affecting public safety.
Dr. Tanwar stressed the need to repair the Junga Science Block that further delays would disrupt the students’ education. He said the government’s inaction on the issue could pose greater safety risks and slow the education of students who already are struggling with challenges from the pandemic.
Contractor Under Action
PWD officials have admitted to the problem in the face of mounting criticism, and stated that the contractor who had constructed the Science Block had to be fined. Devesh Thakur, Assistant Engineer of the PWD Sub-Division, said the contractor had been fined two lakhs for doing substandard work. Moreover, the Education Department has been requested to issue funds to repair the affected Science Block, so that the studies of students may not be hampered any further.
PWD assured that work will be undertaken for immediate repairs to restore the building to a habitable state. And local residents and even school officials are not appeased, demanding that authorities carry out a complete review of the entire project to ensure nothing like this will happen again in the future.
The Junga residents are remaining vigilant in the wake of the ceiling collapse while authorities work to determine exactly what inicurrent values led to these incidents, and to ensure that the contemporary accounting within these projects meets the most rigorous standards. The timely repair and reconstruction of the Science Block is critical for restoring confidence in the region’s infrastructure, as the lives of students are at stake.
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