First there are allegations of corruption, then inquiry committees are constituted, then these committees fail to submit report in time, then there are strictures from the court and then the matter dies down. The corrupt functionaries profile their selves as victimized persons and ask for compensating them by way of promotion and placement at their choice which the Government seldom declines to concede. This is the story of so many cases of alleged corruption and their inquiry. How long will this process go and how long will the blue-eyed boys of the government go on enjoying the munificence bestowed upon them?
Yes, there is a plethora of laws applicable to cases of alleged corruption. First, there is departmental action and then there is the Vigilance Organization and finally there is the court of law. To say that we don’t have adequate laws or judicial process to take on the cases of alleged corruption is not correct. What we are faced with are two things: one is advertent effort to shield the corrupt and the criminal, and second is no will to pursue the cases vigorously. So far the government has not devised any mechanism that would be effective in neutralizing the impact of favourtism that is rampant in the administrative segment. Why are not those creating obstacles in the enforcement of law brought to book? If they are the higher ups in administrative structure, then service rules should be applied to punish them for willfully obstructing the function of the government. If they are outsiders, meaning not connected with the administration, and is from political sector; well they have to be exposed in public and in the legislative assembly so that their credibility is reduced.
We have many concrete examples before us and in these columns also we have raised this issue several times. In a status report submitted to the Division Bench in connection with a PIL, progress of enquiries into shutting down of Makhdoom Sahib Ropeway Project in Srinagar and Rajouri Development Authority (RDA) scam has been revealed. Tourism Department constituted two committees to probe into these two aspects as there were allegations of corruption against some of the functionaries. The Makhdum Sahib Ropeway project had come under discussion in the meeting of Departmental Related Standing Committee-IV on Tourism Department convened on December 28, 2015 under the chairmanship of MLC Vibodh Gupta. Terms of reference for the Committee were clearly set as to examine whether the process of bidding for the technology and equipment was done in accordance with the laid down procedure; look into the factors, both macro and micro, which led to the development of snag in the equipment as a consequence of which the ropeway had to be shut down; verify whether there is any electro-mechanical defect in the equipment used in the ropeway system and suggest rectifying measures which would make the ropeway functional in a secured manner. The Committee was supposed to submit its report by January 31, 2016. Till date the Committee never finalized its finding and never submitted the report.
In regard to the Rajouri Development Authority scam, Joint Director Tourism Jammu was appointed as Enquiry Officer to look into the complaint against the then Chief Executive Officer, Rajouri Development Authority, and others. The allegations against these officers were that during their posting in the Rajouri Development Authority several works were executed in blatant violation of the laid down guidelines in order to confer undue benefit upon the contractors. The status report says that the report, which was to be submitted by January 31, 2016, is still awaited. No action is taken against the guilty because there is no report and no evidence to prove their guilt. In yet another instance, enquiry was ordered against In-charge Director SKICC and others in the month of November last year and the Director Tourism Kashmir submitted a report to the Administrative Department for necessary action. However, the report is still under consideration and no action has been taken against the indicted officials.
These instances prove that invisible hands are working surreptitiously to shield the accused officials. It points at a nexus formed by a very strong group of functionaries because evidently a large number of officials are interlinked in these scams. That is always what happens when big scams are involved. This nexus cannot be broken just by issuing orders but by taking practical steps of invoking service rules and bringing the defaulters to book.
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