Correspondent Nitin Kumar Sumrava Sitapur,

A case of serious irregularities has come to light in the ongoing drain construction work in Sumrava village of Sakran block under Laharpur tehsil of Sitapur district. According to local villagers, the drain is being built against the standards, using low grade cement mortar. During construction, neither water is being sprinkled on the bricks in the morning and evening nor they are being joined properly, due to which cracks have started appearing between the bricks and the bricks have started breaking. Looking at the long rows of drains being built in the village, it is clearly visible that the bricks are becoming loose and their joints are weak. Lack of proper maintenance at the construction site is clearly visible. Villagers say that cheap and inferior material is being used by the contractor, due to which there is a possibility that the entire drain will collapse soon. This situation is clearly visible in the pictures taken around 11 am today in Sumrava village. Villagers said that the drain work is going on at a fast pace, but no attention is being paid to the quality. He alleged that if the situation continues like this, the drain will break during the rainy season and dirty water can spread in the village, which will increase health problems. Local people have demanded from the administration that the construction work should be immediately investigated and action should be taken against the guilty contractor. Also, the drain should be rebuilt as per the standards so that the villagers can get sustainable facilities in the long run. This case again highlights the questions raised regarding the quality of development work in rural areas. An investigation is expected from the district administration and the concerned department.