*Works carried out only on political pressure
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 14: In a step which may land former Housing Minister and Managing Director of Jammu and Kashmir Housing Board in more trouble, the State Vigilance Organization (SVO) has began in-depth probe into Rs 27 crore worth liability created for the Board by carrying out different works on political pressure and without approval of the competent authority.
A three-member committee constituted by the Government vide communication No. 178-HUD of 2015 dated July 14, 2015 has already established that works to the tune of Rs 27.60 crore were carried out by the J&K Housing Board without the approval of the competent authority and without approval of works plan thereby depleting the financial reserves of the Board.
Astonishingly, despite establishment of lapses and procedural deviations, the Housing and Urban Development Department has not taken action against any of the delinquent officials of the J&K Housing Board. Now, all the eyes are on the probe of the State Vigilance Organization as the case is also being monitored by the State High Court in a Public Interest Litigation to which the liability of Rs 27.60 crore was made part of through a Miscellaneous Application.
In the status report submitted to the High Court on July 8, 2016, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Vigilance Organization, Alok Puri had submitted that Housing and Urban Development Department has only forwarded the findings of three member enquiry committee but without any action taken report or the recommendations in the light of enquiry report.
He had explicitly told the High Court that in order to verify the findings of enquiry committee for ascertaining the criminality which would attract the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, an in-depth verification will be conducted into the matter.
“In furtherance of the stand taken before the High Court, the IGP Vigilance Organization has directed SSP Vigilance Jammu Shabir Ahmed Malik to conduct verification as early as possible”, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “acting promptly on the orders of the IGP, the SSP has dashed a communication to the present Managing Director of J&K Housing Board for furnishing of all the records pertaining to Rs 27.60 crore worth works within shortest possible time”.
According to the sources, the office of the Managing Director J&K Housing Board, which is presently functioning from summer capital of the State, has already started scanning the copies of the record and the same will be forwarded to the SSP Vigilance Jammu within next some days. “Since the record is voluminous the scanning will take some more days”, they added.
During verification, the SVO will look into favouritism and conferring of undue pecuniary advantage to the blue eyed contractors as alleged in the complaint, sources said, adding “the three-member enquiry committee of Housing and Urban Development Department has completely not touched these aspects in its findings despite the fact that there was no justification in carrying out Rs 27.60 crore worth works without any ulterior motives”.
“Moreover, the intentions of those at the helm of affairs in the Housing and Urban Development Department can be gauged from the fact that none of the officers of the Housing Board has been taken to task even after establishment of procedural deviations and putting the Board to financial crisis”, sources said.
As per the findings of the enquiry committee, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR, the Housing Board, on political pressure, had executed works beyond its jurisdiction. The works were undertaken in areas and colonies which are not under the control of Housing Board.
“The Board has undertaken the construction of shelters/ dwelling units for weaker sections without any approved schemes or approved guidelines”, the report said, adding “even the list of beneficiaries of the activity has not been approved by any competent authority and mechanism adopted for selection of beneficiaries could not be known”.
“Works have been undertaken without any budgetary provision thereby depleting the financial reserves of the Board which are meant for the welfare of the employees like salaries, pensions and other benefits to the serving and retired employees of the Board”, the enquiry committee report said, adding “funds were released to the Engineering Sections/ Divisions by the Accounts Section without ensuring that requisite codal formalities are followed by the Executing Agencies-Deputy General Managers of the Housing Board”.
Moreover, it was also found that works were executed without any approval of the works plan and disbursements were made without prior approval of the competent authority. “No action plan of works programme was prepared and the works were executed arbitrarily in violation of defined procedures as being followed by similar Government departments/corporations to maintain transparency and proper management”, the report said.
Observing that prescribed guidelines were not exercised at any level during the execution of these works, the report said, “the responsibilities/duties associated with the offices of Managing Director, FA/CAO, DGMs and Technical Officers were not discharged diligently”.
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