Loot of exchequer by R&B Xens in
Governor’s rule unabated
Official
vehicles dumped, private vehicles hired at Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 per month
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
_______
SRINAGAR, March 10: Executive Engineers (EEs)
of different departments, particularly those of R&B Department, are looting
the State exchequer with impunity even in Governor’s rule without any fear of
accountability as most of them have dumped their official vehicles and engaged
private vehicles and drivers for Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 a month. STATE TIMES
discovered during an investigation that the vehicles engaged without any
justification by the EEs actually belong either to their own families, friends
or relatives.
During a
survey, this newspaper observed that in Kashmir valley 25 EEs, particularly
those on deputation with Tourism Development Authorities and other departments,
had dumped the official drivers and were themselves driving the same for official and private purposes. “They
draw inflated bills on account of fuel and earn an average of Rs 10,000 to Rs
15,000 a month out of it. They are not content with the embezzlements done in
regular bills of works which run into crores”, said an insider on the condition of anonymity. He said "just some exceptions" do not indulge in this kind of brazen loot of exchequer.
When this
newspaper brought it to the notice of Commissioner-Secretary R&B, Rohit
Kansal last month, he immediately ordered an enquiry. Within a few days, many
of the EEs returned the official vehicles to the regular drivers. SE R&B
Pulwama and SE R&B Baramulla, Farooq Ahmad Najar, who had engaged private
Scorpio JK01N-5151, also disengaged the vehicles.
However,
STATE TIMES proceeded with the investigation while making Baramulla and Kupwara
as the sample districts. It observed that almost all the EEs have dumped their
official vehicles, including brand new and operational vehicles, either in
their own offices or those of Superintending Engineers or Chief Engineer. They have hired
their own or their relatives’ or friends’ private vehicles and have been paying
them average of Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 a month without any justification from the State exchequer. At an
average each division has spent Rs 6 lakh a year on account of illegal and
unauthorised payments made to such vehicles.
It is suspected that the money drawn from State exchequer is shared between the EEs and owners of the private vehicles. A percentage of the billed amount goes to the Accounts Officers and other officials. There is a huge mismatch between the entries made in the log books and the actual official travelling. Some of the EEs claim to have travelled 100 to 200 Km every day.
It is suspected that the money drawn from State exchequer is shared between the EEs and owners of the private vehicles. A percentage of the billed amount goes to the Accounts Officers and other officials. There is a huge mismatch between the entries made in the log books and the actual official travelling. Some of the EEs claim to have travelled 100 to 200 Km every day.
It was
observed that Shah Jehan, EE R&B Division Kupwara has dumped his official
vehicle and driver and hired private Scorpio, JK05D-6955, which belongs to one
of his acquaintances.
EE of
R&B Division Handwara, Abdul Aziz, has dumped his official vehicle and
hired private Zylo, JK13B-8590, which is being operated by a private driver.
EE of
R&B Division Uri, Ajit Singh, has dumped his official vehicle and driver
and engaged private Scorpio, JK05D-4330, which is being operated by a private
driver.
EE of
R&B Division Baramulla, Shabir Ahmad, has dumped his official vehicle and
driver and hired private Scorpio, JK01R-2591, which is being operated by a
private driver. Previously, for several months, this EE had similarly hired
another private vehicle bearing number 8181. It ferried him between his home in
Pulwama and office in Baramulla.
EE of
R&B Division Sopore, Gurdeep Singh, has dumped his official vehicle and
driver and hired private Scorpio, JK05D-3822, which is being operated by a private
driver as a routine between the Divisional Office in Sopore, SE’s office in
Baramulla, CE’s office in Srinagar and EE’s home in Chogal, Handwara.
It was
observed that some EEs have been drawing Rs 1200 a day for the private driver
plus Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 as cost of fuel.
Commissioner-Secretary
R&B, Rohit Kansal, told STATE TIMES that he has ordered separate enquiries,
one being headed by CE R&B Kashmir and another by DC Baramulla, Yasha
Mudgal. “I am expecting their detailed reports within a few days. We will
initiate appropriate action under rules against the officers who will be found
indulging in this kind of unauthorised expenditure”, Mr Kansal said.
Officials in
Finance Department said that a private vehicle can be hired by a competent
government officer for maximum of two or three days a month if such an exigency
occurred for discharge of duty. “Hiring private vehicles and dumping the
official vehicles and drives for the purpose of looting the State exchequer is
completely illegal. It warrants stringent action including recovery of the
money paid from the account of the Drawing and Disbursing Officer”, said a
senior official.
END