Ajay Sharma
Rajouri, March 25:
Residents of village Barnada and the adjoining Nala Panchayat have accused the local administration of negligence over the potential lapse of Rs 10 lakh meant for a community hall project.
According to locals, the community hall was proposed to be constructed in Wards No. 5 and 6. “The project, funded through a grant from the local MLA, has come to a standstill barely a month and a half after work began due to administrative negligence,” they said, warning that the funds may lapse with the March 31 financial deadline approaching.
Residents and whistleblowers have identified Saurabh Singh, Village Level Worker (VLW) of Nala Panchayat, as the key official responsible for the deadlock.
“The VLW failed to convene a mandatory Gram Sabha or a joint meeting of the four affected villages—Barnada, Nala, Makol, and Nahoti—to finalise the project site,” locals alleged. “Despite the availability of ample State land, the work was initiated at a location that triggered public objections, ultimately halting the project.”
Sources further claimed that no formal public notice was issued and due procedures were not followed before the project was launched.
“If these Rs 10 lakh lapse, it will be a direct loss to the public,” sources said. “The VLW’s responsibility was to bring all four villages on board and ensure feasibility, but the work was started at a disputed site, risking return of funds to the treasury.”
Meanwhile, locals have urged the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri and senior officials in Sunderbani to intervene immediately and salvage the project.
They have also demanded a probe into the alleged failure to obtain a proper Gram Sabha resolution before initiating the work.
