AGARTALA, January 4, (TIWN): Story of embezzlement, irregularities and undue privileges continued in this year too, for the state. CAG, in their Audit Report for the year 2012-13 mentioned about many such corruption about which neither the State Government nor the Opposition parties played any significant role. However, in the Chapter-II: Economic Sector at Page no. 52 and Page no. 53 CAG reported about huge embezzlement by PWD (R&B). In three cases CAG pointed out about embezzlement of 1.02 crore, 84.69 lakh and 50.22 lakh undue payment paid to the contractors. In total the embezzlement amounted 2, 36, 95, 000 rupees.

At point (c) of Page no. 52, CAG mentioned that: “…..The contractor requested the Department that because of heavy shortage of bricks, he might be permitted to continue his work with stone aggregates till the shortage of bricks is over at no extra cost to the Department which was agreed by the Department. The contractor executed a total quantity of 14365.610 cum with stone aggregates and charged at the rate of 2359.50 rupees per cum in breach of the approval given by the Department. In contravention of terms, the Department also paid the higher rate and incurred unwarranted and unjustified extra expenditure of 1.02 crore.” How the Department itself could justify the breach of approval in favor of contractor and this too, incurring heavy loss to public money is the question.

In point (d) of the same page, the CAG showed that the contractors got an excess payment of 84.69 lakh rupees by using extra material. These extra materials were used against the specific amount of material mentioned in the agreement.

Again in point (e) of Page no.53, CAG showed that the contractor was paid an amount of 50.22 lakh rupees for felling 1953 trees. This payment was paid on wrong claims. More interestingly, DFO Kanchanpur stated to the Audit that, no tree was felled by the contractor. Rather the Forest Department felled all the trees and Executive Engineer Kanchanpur paid them an amount of 12.20 lakh for that.

Now, it is very clear that, a complete chaos of embezzlement and gobbling prevailed in the Kanchanpur Division of PWD (R&B). But the State Government initiated no step against this, even after the report of the CAG.