Gonda, October 6, 2026: District Magistrate Priyanka Niranjan has ordered investigations into substandard urban development works in several local bodies in Gonda district and directed officials to take action against those found responsible for negligence. The directions include show-cause notices, salary withholding and possible blacklisting of agencies that have failed to begin assigned projects.
The instructions were issued during a review meeting held at the Collectorate auditorium to assess the progress, quality and timely execution of development projects being implemented by municipal councils and nagar panchayats under various government schemes.
The DM reviewed works under sewerage and drainage projects, the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Urban Development Scheme, drinking water initiatives, the Aspirational Towns Scheme, cremation ground development, urban lake and pond conservation, the Vandan Scheme and the Chief Minister’s Global Urban Development Scheme, among others.
Officials presented ward-wise progress reports, supported by geo-tagged photographs taken before the commencement and after the completion of projects. The review covered drains, parks, covered RCC roads, high-mast lights, open gyms and pond beautification works. The DM stressed that quality, transparency and timely completion were mandatory and that negligence would not be tolerated.
During the review of Nagar Panchayat Dhanepur, the DM expressed dissatisfaction with the reported condition of the works and directed that a show-cause notice be issued to Executive Officer Ragini Verma. She also ordered an investigation into the projects concerned.
In Tarabganj, the condition of development works was found unsatisfactory. The DM directed that a show-cause notice be issued to Executive Officer Amarnath and that his salary be withheld. She also instructed the Additional District Magistrate to investigate completed and ongoing projects in the town.
The DM expressed concern over the progress of the cremation ground under construction in Nagar Panchayat Parsapur. She ordered a show-cause notice to be issued to Executive Officer of Belser, Anurag Shukla, and directed the Additional District Magistrate to investigate completed and ongoing works in the area.
At Gonda Municipality, delays in drain construction and the failure to commence work in several wards drew the DM’s displeasure. She ordered the salary of Municipal Executive Officer Santram to be withheld. She further directed officials to initiate blacklisting proceedings against agencies that had not started their assigned projects.
Emphasising accountability, the DM instructed all concerned officials to regularly monitor development projects and ensure completion within the stipulated deadlines. She said that public-interest works must meet prescribed quality standards and that geo-tagged photographs and physical inspections should be prioritised to verify the actual status of projects.
Additional District Magistrate Pramod Jha, executive officers of Gonda, Colonelganj and Nawabganj municipal bodies, and representatives of the nagar panchayats of Parsapur, Belser, Khargupur, Tarabganj, Mankapur, Dhanepur and Katra Bazar attended the meeting. LBC Anil Singh and other officials were also present.
