Dispute over payment/pendancy.2 school rooms still unfinished since 2008.

Shyam Sood

Rajouri March 11:–On February 16, two rooms of high school at Chowdhry Nar were got vacated by Tehsildar & SHO Rajouri on the directions from Rajesh Kumar Shavan, DDC Rajouri, after 13 years of illegal occupation by the contractor namely Faiz Chowdhry.

Faiz Choudhary claimed that as the department had not released Rs 80,000 payment for the slab, so work for finishing the rooms was stopped.
On Faiz’s claim ,Tehsildar vide his office letter dated 23/2/2021, asked Chief Education Officer (CEO) to conduct inquiry regarding payment /pendency and completion issue of the school (2 rooms) located at Chowdhary Nar. Faiz also alleged that the slab’s payment was withdrawn by the then headmaster/others and was misappropriated.
Mohd Nazam Din father of Faiz had donated the land for the school and to compensate them, contract for the construction of two rooms with the sanctioned amount of Rs3.40 lakh was given to Faiz.

A team including Choudhary Gulazar Hussain, CEO and few Principals conducted the inquiry.
”It has been established that the then headmaster (present during inquiry) had made the payment(s) (in parts and in cash) for the slab and the receipts for the same signed by Faiz were in the school record. However, the headmaster had not followed the proper procedure, i.e payments were not made through cheque or invoice)” said CEO Faiz, also present during the inquiry, claimed that he had not received any payment for the slab and the receipts are fake and not signed by him.

“During the inquiry it was decided that CEO will soon manage Rs30,000 and headmaster shall also pay Rs30,000. CEO requested me to leave the remaining Rs20,000/ and complete the rooms”, said Fiaz.

When contacted CEO said that the balance payment will be released only after when Faiz will hand over the finished rooms to school administration. Faiz claimed that out of Rs3.40 lakh he has received only Rs 1, 60,000 lakh till 2021 and said he will approach the crime branch if slab’s payment was not cleared. CEO also said that payment for the slab has already been made as per receipts in the school record signed by Faiz.
“However, to compensate him, as the cost of the labour/material has increased many folds since 2008, it was decided to pay Rs 60,000 to Faiz,” said CEO. Faiz has refused to finish the rooms till the payment for the slab was not cleared.