By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, September 25, 2017: Odisha government will take punitive measures against the contractor and officials in Sunday’s collapse of a portion of under construction bridge over Jira river on the Jamdol- Dubenpalli road in Bheden block of Odisha’s Bargarh district.

Two under construction bridges collapsed in the state within a fortnight apparently due to poor quality work. This has forced Odisha government to toughen its stand against the wrongdoer.

“All aspects will be examined and if criminal neglect is found action will be taken. The concerned contractor will be blacklisted. He won’t get his arrears. We will also try to see to it that such contractor doesn’t get jobs in the future,” state rural development secretary, Bishnupada Sethy told reporters.

The Rural Development department was constructing the bridge over Jira river at an estimated cost of Rs 8.46 crore under the Biju Setu Yojana and is likely to blacklist the concerned contractor firm from undertaking any job of the State government in future and stop arrear payments.

Police on Monday arrested Rural Development department’s assistant engineer Kamalakanta Taria and junior engineer Manoranjan Mohapatra under suspension now in connection with the collapse of the under construction bridge over Jira river on Sunday.

Photo: Facebook

Meanwhile, Rural Development department’s Chief Engineer Bharat Chandra Pradhan today visited the bridge site at Dubenpalli to conduct an on-spot inquiry. He has been asked to submit his report by this evening.

Snehangini Churia, Minister Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts assured exemplary action against those found guilty of the lapse.

“Why it happened? For whose mistake or negligence it happened is being probed. After its found out certainly exemplary action will be taken against them,” Churia told reporters.