Principal Correspondent
KOHIMA, JULY 31
EXECUTIVE Engineer, PWD (Housing) Youth Resources and Sports (YRS) Division, Kohima paid an amount of Rs 38.31 lakh against an unexecuted item of work i.e. construction of Swimming Pool at Dimapur Club by recording false measurement.
The CAG India report for the year ending March 31, 2013, which was laid in the just concluded State Assembly session, revealed that in February 2012, the YRS department sanctioned an amount of Rs 50 lakh for construction of Swimming Pool at Dimapur Club on the basis of an estimate prepared by the Executive Engineer (EE) PWD (Housing), YRS Division which was awarded to the lowest bidder (M/S ALCO) at Rs 38.31 lakh in March 2012 as per NPWD Schedule of Rates 2010 with a stipulation to complete the work within 12 months.
The report revealed that Director YRS drew Rs 42.14 lakh in March 2012 and remitted the amount to the EE in May/July 2012.
Nevertheless, scrutiny of Measurement Book (MB) in March 2013 by the Audit revealed that the contractor commenced the work on April 9, 2012 and completed the work on August 10, 2012 which was measured on three different dates from April-August 2012 by the JE SDO and EE of the Engineering Division.
The CAG reported exposed that the contractor was paid Rs 38.31 lakh (net amount paid Rs 35.97 lakh after statutory deductions in August 2012 as per work order while the remaining amount of Rs 3.83 lakh meant for site had not been utilized in March 2013 and was kept in the bank account of the division.
The CAG stated that as the work was reportedly completed within a short period of five months against the stipulated period of 12 months, audit conducted a physical verification to ascertain the actual status of work.
During joint physical verification conducted in March 2013 by audit along with the EE YRS Division, it was seen that the swimming pool was not constructed at Dimapur Club contrary to the entries made in the MB and progress report submitted by the EE, the CAG pointed out.
The EE, however, stated that a building committee was formed for this project by the members of Dimapur Club and the committee decided to go for a pre-fabricated swimming pool as the amount granted was less, the CAG said, adding that the committee had ordered the pre-fabricated swimming pool which had not arrived. However, the EE could not offer any explanation for falsely recording the measurement and releasing the payment, it said.
Thus, the CAG concluded that the EE made a fictitious payment of Rs 38.31 lakh against unexecuted items of work by recording false measurement of work.
The CAG also revealed that in reply during 2013, the State Government stated that the work was held up because of the change of location and scope of work due to unstable soil conditions in the original site while also adding that the fund was released to the contractor as requested by him for purchase of equipment for the project and the civil works were in good progress.
