Karwar: The people of Uttara Kannada district have to wait for some more time for getting the benefit of Indira canteens.
The company which had bagged the work contract for constructing the Indira canteens in various districts of the State has not received funds and so, the contractor is not showing interest in completing the work.
Indira canteen building has come up in front of the Hescom office in Konewad in Karwar. The ready parts of the building were assembled around three months back. However, the contractor has not given final touches to the building.
"If everything had gone as per plan, the Indira canteen in Karwar was supposed to be inaugurated on the Republic Day on January 26. But as the contractor has not received funds from the government, the building has not been handed over to the government. It is not possible to tell how much more time would it take for the inauguration of the canteen", said a concerned officer.
Same condition in dist
Like in Karwar, Indira canteen buildings have been constructed in Ankola, Bhatkal, Yellapur and Mundgod also. Here, only the stove needed for cooking, sink needed to wash utensils and wash hands and such materials need to be fixed. However, in Honnavar, Kumta, Sirsi and Siddapur, only foundation stone has been laid for the building.
The contract for constructing the Indira canteens across the State has been given by the State government to a Hyderabad-based construction company. So, the local officers are not in a position to open the canteen even though the work is almost over. The issue has been raised in two to three meetings and even the contractor has been asked about it. However, the contract company has decided not to hand over the buildings until their bills are cleared and so, the work is unlikely to complete in near future.
"Utensils needed for the canteen had been brought four to five months back itself. But as they are not being used, they have been kept aside", said an officer expressing disappointment.
Ramnath, a localite, said that the land at Konewad which is housing the incomplete building now has been lying idle. It could have been used for some other purpose if the canteen building had not come up. He asked if it was right to leave a site unused in Karwar where there was a shortage of government land.
Urban Development Cell Assistant Executive Engineer R P Nayak said that the canteen building was almost ready and the contractors had informed that they would complete the work soon. After the building was ready, a compound wall had to be constructed and water connection had to be given. The contract for these two works had already been given.
He expressed hope that the canteen will be totally ready soon.