The Department of Public Health Engineering installed 18 submersible pump in various households and religious institutions in Mirzaganj upazila of Patuakhali in 2021-22 fiscal year. However, allegation of various irregularities regarding the quality of the work and the use of the submersible pumps have been made after the pumps were installed.
It was learnt that, substandard materials were used in the platforms and the concrete water tank. There is no electricity connection in some of the pumps, rendering them unusable. Moreover, among the 18 submersible pumps, several were installed in the households of local Awami League leaders.
Sources from upazila Department of Public Health Engineering said Messrs Nazmul Enterprise got the contract contact to install the submersible pumps. Later, a contractor named Md Shoaib bought the pumps to install them in the allocated places. According to the terms of tender, the contractor was supposed to build a sturdy elevated base (chamber) for placing the water tank on top and to construct a concrete platform below for washing clothes. Additionally, each tube well was required to supply lines with platforms for an additional ten households. However, that was not what happened.
When this correspondent examined the submersible pumps, it was seen that, very low-quality equipment has been provided, including switches in some of the pumps. Low-quality materials were used in constructing the water platform and the elevated chamber for the tank, resulting in many locations where the chamber and platform are collapsing. Several tube wells are being used privately by the president and general secretary of the Upazila Awami League. No external connections have been provided from those wells, and platforms have not been constructed either. A deep tube well has also been allocated for the personal garden of Sirajul Islam in Dakkhin Amrachhiya village. Additionally, Saidul Islam from Jhatibunia village is using three lines on his own, one of which is in his cattle shed. No lines have been provided from the pump installed at the Mirzaganj Mazar, and multiple platforms have not been constructed.
Rubel Hossain from Dakkhin Jhatibunia village said the quality of casting in our platform was very poor. It was only half inch thick and now it’s breaking apart as a result.
Another beneficiary Helal Hossain said the contractor did not install the electricity meter yet. The pump is running with the electricity of our house. We even had to buy the pipe that was supposed to be installed by the government.
Meanwhile, contractor Md Shoaib said we have properly carried out the work. The pumps were installed two years ago. So cracks can appear in the platforms now. Assitant Engineer of Mirzahganj Department of Public Health Engineering, Abdul Kuddus, said I am newly appointed here. I cannot say anything about the matter.
Executive Enginner of Patuakhali Department of Public Health Engineering Md Ashrafuzzaman said they will take action based on investigation if any there’s any irregularities in the installation work of the submersible pumps.
