Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
JAMMU, July 9: The Roads and Building (R&B) department had executed works costing Rs. 38 Crores without inviting tenders, when former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was Minister incharge of department.
An RTI activist, who is also former senior Vice President of National Conference (NC) Dr. Rehmatullah Khora today filed a case in State Accountability Commission (SAC) against Omar Abdullah for his failure to monitor and take action against officers involved in violation of norms.
Works worth Rs. 38 Cr were executed without inviting tenders by 22 Executive Engineers of Roads and Building department in the period 28/10/2010 to 31/12/2012, when Omar Abdullah was incharge of department.
In response to several RTIs, Chief Engineers of various divisions furnished the details of works executed without tenders in various divisions. The works included XEn Gandoh-Bhallesa, district Doda executed works to the tune of Rs. 8 Lakh, XEn Doda, Rs. 36.34 Lakhs, XEn Basohli Rs. 61.96 Lakhs, XEn Ramban Rs. 68.95 Lakhs.
The maximum non tendered works were executed by XEn Ganderbal Rs. 5.25 Crores, XEn Khandarbal, Anantnag Rs. 5.11 Crores, XEn, Bhaderwah, Doda, Rs. 2.44 Crores, XEn Katra Rs. 16 lakhs, XEn GMC Jammu, Rs. 1.65 Crores, XEn Samba Rs. 20 lakhs, XEn Nowshera Rs. 56 Lakhs, XEn Rajouri 57 Lakhs, XEn Uri, Kupwara 1.93 Crores, XEn division TT Srinagar, Rs. 56 Lakhs, XEn Handwara, Baramulla 20 Lakhs.
Moreover, XEn Kulgam Rs. 35 Lakhs, XEn Medical Division Srinagar, Rs. 49 Lakhs, XEn Chadoora, Budgam Rs. 1.45 Lakhs, XEn Shopian Rs. 18 Lakhs, XEn RC Road Srinagar Rs. 1.52 Crores and XEn Sopore Rs. 2 Lakhs.
In the case filed before State Accountability Commission (SAC) Dr. Rehmatullah has alleged that previous coalition government also modified the Jammu and Kashmir State Accountability Commission Act, to the extent that neither the politician nor the involved public functionary could be tried in one investigating institutions.
"It was done deliberately in order to provide the criminal shelter to politician besides public functionary who went scot free", he has also alleged.
Former Vice President of NC, Dr. Rehmatullah Khora said that in 2013, he had approached Omar Abdullah in Srinagar and had apprised him about the works being executed without tenders but instead of taking any action, patronized the violation. "I had felt suffocated by the attitude of Omar, and left NC", he said. |
