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Health centres unfinished largely for lack of care

SUSHANTA GHOSH, Barisal
Fate of two urban primary health care centers, scheduled to be constructed in two areas of Barisal City Corporation by June 30, 2012, has become uncertain.
Negligence of authorities concerned, corruption by contractor and handing over the work order to another firm violating public procurement rule (PPR) have been blamed for the situation.
The Tk 2.14 crore project is being funded by Asian Development Bank, Department for International Development (DFID) and Government of Bangladesh.
The tender procedure for both of the work under urban primary health care project (UPHCP-II) of the ministry of local government, rural development and cooperatives, was completed on April 25,2010.
LGRD ministry awarded the work order to Dhaka based 'Palash Enterprise' on June 16, 2011 after a delay of 14 months with June 30, 2012 deadline.
Visiting the spots and talking with the authorities and contractors, this correspondent came to know that the work of one UPHCP at Amanatganj is yet to start, while the other one near Barisal Govt B M College area has been abandoned after partial piling four months ago.
Palash Enterprise, in the meantime, illegally transferred the work order to Meherun Construction of Barisal through a power of attorney signed on May24,2011.
Meherun Construction started the work at the site of B M College area. The authorities, however, stopped the firm in October 2011 following an allegation of low standard of work
A 3-member probe team comprising executive engineer, assistant engineer and project manger of UPHCP-II was formed on November 1,2011.
The team visited the spot and submitted their report after laboratory tests on November 20.
According to the report, the qualities of the concrete used for piling were substandard and the diameters of piles irregular.
Construction defects were rampant and most piles too weak to withstand load, said Engineer Golam Kibria, managing director of testing firm CFF Foundation, in the report.
Shariful Islam, executive engineer of UPHCP-II, acknowledging the facts, termed the work order as non-transferable.
“Action would be taken against the firm if it fails to implement the project within the scheduled time maintaining quality of standard as per PPR", he said.
He blamed BCC for delay in handing over land, giving work order and plan layout.
Abdul Motalib, executive engineer of BCC, said complex procedure of selecting site and ownership caused the delay in handing over land.
The project director of UPHCP-II will visit the spots soon to remove the stalemate, he informed.
J A Zahedi of Palash Enterprise said, the 14-month delay in giving work order, plan layout, handing over land and price hike of construction materials complicated the job.
“So we gave the power of attorney to local firm 'Meherun Construction' to complete the work within the scheduled time in a bid to avoid financial loss", he said.
Monwar Hossain Jipu of Meherun Construction said they were trying to complete the work faster for the sake of public interest. Unfortunately a vested quarter is creating obstacle, he added.
About the quality of work, Jipu claimed that they were doing the best possible work within the allotted budget.