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| SVO begins probe, seeks records from education deptt | | Fire extinguisher purchase scam | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, July 24: State Vigilance Organization (SVO) has begun digging deep into the alleged scandalous purchase of fire extinguishers by the school education department in Jammu district.
Sources said that SVO recently wrote to Chief Education Officer (CEO) Jammu to explain in detail the manner in which fire extinguishers were purchased by the school education department. It has asked education department to come out with documentary evidence in support of its claims that fire extinguishers were purchased under a set procedure and a manual was followed while doing so.
Ironically, office of Chief Education Officer (CEO) Jammu, which according to sources made the purchases obliquely has forwarded letter of SVO to Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs) asking them to submit the requisite information. Sources maintained that mostly the purchase of fire extinguishers was made in compliance to an order issued by the office of Chief Education Officer (CEO) Jammu.
They added that Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs) facilitated distribution of the same among the schools across Jammu district. Sources confirmed that in cases, where purchase was made by concerned ZEOs, they were told to approach the dealer, who had already been identified by CEO's office. They asserted that after finding the noose tightening around the neck, CEO office has shifted the entire blame on ZEOs.
However, facts speak ostensibly against the high profile office of Chief Education Officer (CEO) Jammu. While an official in the education secretariat clarified that schools were authorized to purchase fire extinguishers on their own by spending money from the local fund head, another official of Chief Education Officer (CEO) Jammu stated that ZEOs, Principals and Headmasters were directed to receive fire extinguishers from a particular dealer and then supply it to schools at a fixed rate of Rs 2385 (Inclusive of taxes).
However, he said that rate was evaluated by a committee of ZEOs and Principals. Sources disclosed that no committee was ever constituted in practicality. Sources said that nearly 20,000 government institutions purchased around 30,000 fire extinguishers in first phase, with each unit costing more than Rs. 2385. They asserted that no tenders were called, no central purchase committee was framed and even the department did not bother to get the rates approved from the government.
Sources in the director school education's office informed that acting on the allegations being leveled by various social organizations when the scam first surfaced, the then Director School Education (DSE) ordered a probe. He even constituted a three members committee headed by the then Joint Director, Vinay Mohan Raina to find reality behind the allegations of scam in purchase of fire extinguishers.
Sources disclosed that the three member committee found glaring discrepancies in the purchase of fire extinguishers. It found out that no purchase was made by ZEOs, Principals and Head Masters. Instead, purportedly under orders from CEO's office, ZEOs of various zones allowed the dealer to dump fire extinguishers in their offices for distribution among the schools.
Report, according to officers, has called for strict action against all the people involved in the scam. Report was hushed up and no departmental action was taken against the accused. Sources said that it is the involvement of vigilance department because of which accused are likely to be identified and put behind the bars.
It needs to be mentioned here that purchase of fire extinguishers was ordered after Supreme Court on March 9, 2010 asked the state governments across the country to ensure compliance of its directions on fire safety measures for school buildings. The order was passed by a bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and K.S.Radhakrishnan. |
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