Contractor Blacklisted for Harassing Indiramma Beneficiary in Adilabad
Officials said the situation could have turned more serious had the accused caused physical harm to the victim.
Adilabad: Adilabad district officials have taken serious note of an incident in which a contractor allegedly harassed an Indiramma Housing Scheme beneficiary’s husband and tied him to a tree for not paying money for the construction of their house in Boath.
The incident highlights the financial hardship faced by many Indiramma beneficiaries, who are struggling to complete their houses and make payments to contractors. The rising cost of sand has further escalated construction expenses, with only a few beneficiaries managing to get sand free of cost from local streams and rivulets.
Adilabad collector Rajarshi Shah blacklisted the contractor and announced that no future Indiramma housing works would be allotted to him. He also directed officials to ensure quality in the construction of Indiramma houses and warned contractors of strict action if they harass beneficiaries.
A few days earlier, contractor Kamble Satyanarayana allegedly tied Lokande Maruthi, husband of an Indiramma beneficiary, to a tree in Sonala mandal headquarters for failing to pay Rs 1 lakh for the construction of a house in Kota (K) village on October 28. Both the contractor and the victim lodged complaints against each other at Boath Police Station. Police arrested the accused and were preparing to produce him in court on October 29, but he reportedly escaped custody that night under the pretext of attending nature’s call. Police had since formed special teams to track down the absconding accused, who was suspected to have fled to Maharashtra. They arrested him on Saturday evening.
Collector Rajarshi Shah urged contractors and masons to charge only reasonable amounts from Indiramma beneficiaries and advised beneficiaries to approach the local tahasildar, MPDO, or AE (Housing) if they face any issues. He warned that strict action would be taken against any contractor found exploiting or harassing beneficiaries.
Officials said the situation could have turned more serious had the accused caused physical harm to the victim.
