Hyderabad: A couple of months after a former sarpanch and her husband locked a government school in Rajanna Sircilla district over pending bills, a similar incident has come to light in Khammam. A contractor locked a government school and threatened to die by suicide alleging that the government had failed to clear her dues.Ch Nagamani, a former chairman of the School Management Committee of Mandal Parishad Primary School (MPPS), Danavaigudem, in Khammam Rural, had taken up works under the Mana Ooru, Mana Badi programme and is said to have been waiting for payment for nearly four years.The school’s former headmaster, B Nagendramma, under whose tenure the works were executed, said Nagamani and her husband Ayodhya, a differently-abled person from a marginalised background, is yet to receive about Rs11 lakh out of the total Rs21 lakh from the government.“He completed all the work. I even gave clearances, but the dues are not yet cleared,” Nagendramma told TOI. She added that Nagamani, her husband and four children staged a protest in front of the school on Monday and even locked the premises.Not just to Nagamani, the govt owes about Rs500 crore to about 1,500 small contractors under the Mana Ooru, Mana Badi programme.Works at this particular school were taken up in the first phase of the said programme. “I borrowed money at Rs3 interest for every Rs100 and completed all works assuming that govt will clear bills as soon as the work is completed,” said Ayodhya. “It’s been more than four years now. The borrowed amount has almost doubled, and I have no option except to sell our house and clear dues. But, doing so will bring my family onto the road.”He said that left with no option he locked the school premises today. “Officials assured that they will get my dues cleared at the earliest. Believing their words, I have unlocked the school,” he said.As part of the programme, Nagamani built washrooms, raised the height of the compound wall, and carried out other repair works at the school by spending about Rs21 lakh. While Rs 10 lakh was paid during the KCR regime, the family is still waiting for the remaining amount.
