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| SAC recommends stern action against Director YSS | | Delay in payment to contractor | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | May 27
State Accountability Commission (SAC) has recommended stern action against Ravinder Gupta, Director Youth Services and Sports after the complaint of a contractor alleging harassment by "deliberately" withholding the payment due to the lateral.
In the complaint, the contractor had alleged that the Director had withheld his payment on "flimsy grounds" by projecting 'falsely' that the work was not executed in accordance with the required requirements.
The complaint maintained that the J&K Sports Council had allotted construction of the chain-link fencing around the Sports Stadium, Udhampur in 2004 and the estimated cost of the work was Rs 19, 87,795. After the execution of work by the contractor, the engineering-wing drew up the bills and submitted these bills for the release of payment to the then Secretary Sports Council Ravinder Gupta, presently holding the post of Director Sports Council.
The contractor alleged that the director stopped the payment of the amount in reference on "flimsy grounds" by projecting 'falsely' that the work was not executed in accordance with the required requirements.
Following complaint by the contractor, the Commission ordered an inquiry. During the course of investigation, the Commission observed, "Official record reveals that final bill was drawn up after meeting all the codal requirements and submitted to the Secretary by the Executive Engineer in May, 2006. The bill reflected that the contractor was to be paid an amount of Rs. 3, 39, 801."
It was found that the bill was prepared, checked and verified by the Engineering Wing of the Council and submitted to the Secretary for payment. "The then Secretary instead of taking prompt action on the claim of the bill, adopted the course of raising objections and seeking clarification from the Engineering Wing of the Council," the investigation revealed.
The Commission also found that there was no reason to raise queries about the execution of the works about the works which had been practically executed to the satisfaction of the Executive Engineer. "The respondent, Ravinder Gupta with ulterior motives raised queries after queries, sought reports after reports about the works executed in accordance with the requirements and as verified by the Engineering Wing of the Council," maintained the investigation.
The Commission also observed that the raising of queries by the then Secretary was 'unjust' and 'unreasonable' approach leading to undue hardship for the Contractor and delaying in his payment. "The fact remains that had the complainant not filed this complaint, he would not have been paid even a penny under the bill, which was duly prepared after measurements, verifications and test-checks by the Engineering Wing," observed the Commission.
The investigation revealed that Ravinder Gupta had adopted the tactics not only to harass the contractor but also to fulfill his ulterior motives. The Commission has recommended appropriate punishment under section 30 J&K Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules 1956 against the Director of Youth Services and Sports.
The Commission also noticed that after the intervention of the Commission, Director, who was put on notice, paid up substantially the billed amount leaving Rs 87918 unpaid to the Complainant. |
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