AVINASH AZAD
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Sept 11: A group of alleged notorious swindlers active in Deputy Commissioner Office Rajouri, have reportedly siphoned off crores sanctioned for road works in district Rajouri, executed under languishing projects through Directorate of Tribal Affairs (DTA).
Sources alleged that a lobby comprising some overstaying officers/officials in DC Office Rajouri, and known as funds’ ‘swindlers’ have hijacked functioning of the entire district administration, and no district officers of any department can dare to bypass this nexus. “Not only, these road works, but any independent audit is also required to ascertain pilferage took place in utilization of funds allocated in district for COVID”, they said.
Rural Engineering Wing (REW) Rajouri was tasked by the district administration Rajouri to complete six roads with an estimated cost of Rs 380 lakhs through DTA. “After completing works in papers, the executing agency uploaded the bill form for payments. Meanwhile, a team from DTA visited works sites and found irregularities and refused to pay for said works, instead the DTA sought a report from the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri”, highly placed sources informed Early Times.
“After receiving the authorization vide no. DTA/Plg/Lan Pro/2019/2088-89, dated 26/08/2019 from Tribal Department. The works were put on execution by the Rural Development Department. The bills amounting Rs 86.69 lakh were uploaded for making payments to the executive agency against the works done claims”, sources said, adding that however, instead of making payment the DTA sought details on devised format vide no DTA/Plg/136/2019/138-39 dated 14/01/2019.
“In order to ascertain the status of works on ground, a committee was constituted by the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri on January 1, 2020, and the report vide no DSWOR/Acctts/587-88/2020 dated January 20, 2020 submitted by the committee was forwarded to DTA for justifying claims of work done the executing agency”, they said.
“The DTA while checking the uploaded bills has raised objection that he project has not been technically verified by the competent authority, not below the rank of Superintending Engineer and accordingly wrote to superintending Engineer (R&B) Rajouri for verification of the same but the report could not be obtained”, the sources said, adding that in order to ascertain the fact the Director Tribal Affairs J&K along with other officers visited the spot on June 8, 2020. “The team found huge differences/mismatches in papers and the ground status of the executed works”, they added.
Sources said that acting upon negative outcomes after spot visit of the team, the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri constituted another enquiry committed headed by the Superintending Engineer (R&B) Rajouri to examine the factual positions on spot visit, verification of the DPRs/work register and genuineness of the claims on June 27, 2020.
“The Committee was asked to submitted a report within three days, for further submission to DTA”, they said, adding that no further development in the matter has taken place yet.
It has been learnt from the reliable sources that the file related above said enquiry has been ‘stolen’ from DC Office to save the skin of those who are involved in the scam.
P C Tanoch, Chief Engineer, SKAUST-Jammu, the then SE PWD (R&B) Rajouri, when contacted said that he had sent a questionnaire to XEN REW Rajouri regarding the enquiry ordered by the DC Rajouri. “I received no response, and after sometime I was transferred from Rajouri following my promotion”, he added.
Mohammad Saleem, Director Tribal Affairs Department, J&K told that there were irregularities in the road works, a report sought from the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri is still awaited.
DC Rajouri Mohammad Nazir Sheikh said that enquiry was stalled due to transfer of SE PWD(R&B), new SE PWD (R&B) would be asked for the job soon.
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