| Violating norms, Sunderbani PWD issues Rs 50 lakh works without tendering | | Locals allege contractor-Babu nexus, seek probe | | AB Sharma
Early Times Report
Rajouri, Aug 19: In alleged violation of norms, Public Works Department (PWD) of Sundarbani Sub-Division here has allotted works to the tune of over Rs 50 lakhs without inviting tenders to "favorites".
Officials said in 2015, then Works Minister Syed Altaf Bukhari had issued formal orders that in a bid to increase transparency, works may be allotted only through tendering except for emergencies when the work of upto Rs 20-30 thousand could be allotted without tendering. But presently many works were being allegedly executed without requisite tendering. The 2 km Dhar Pul link road falling in Panchayat Nallah Makoll is undergoing upgradation.
Sources said the work to the tune of Rs 7 lakhs was allotted to an "influential contractor" for construction of retention wall and other works while the concerned executive engineer, PWD, allotted 200 bags of cement to the concerned contractor. But when the Executive Engineer was asked as to how the works were allotted without tendering, he feigned ignorance about execution of works. "No works are being executed anywhere," he said. When told that work was on at Dhaar Pul Road, he claimed that the work was not in progress. Interestingly though the matter was brought to the notice of PWD Minister A R Veeri and Chief Engineer, PWD, Jammu, Alok Mengi, no action was taken as yet inspite of the assurances.
Sources alleged that a senior official in the PWD head office and the concerned Executive Engineer were running a nexus in allotment of works without tendering to their favorites.
The works were not being put to tender because the interests of senior officers were involved, sources alleged.
Meanwhile, Sunderbani people are up in arms against the alleged "loot of state exchequer" and have demanded a high level probe through the state vigilance organization.
"This alleged nexus needs to be exposed and we appeal the chief minister to initiate an inquiry," said a delegation of people, including Arun Sharma, Sushil Sudan, Rajinder Kumar Sharma and former Sarpanch Alok Nath Sharma. |
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