By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Congress-led MUA Government is again caught on the wrong foot vis-à-vis the Rs 9-crore CGI sheet scam exposed through RTI findings last year. This relates to procurement of CGI sheets for rural housing by the State Housing Department.
The second public hearing organised by the Meghalaya Right to Information Movement (MRTIM) here on Thursday has come up with more incriminating prima facie evidence.
In some of the documents the State Government has admitted that there are some anomalies in the purchase of CGI sheets but refused to hand over the investigation on this matter to the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) for reasons best known to the Government.
Documents available with the MRTIM reveal that a junior officer in the Housing department had actually recommended an inquiry by the ACB relating to the financial irregularities in the purchase of the CGI sheet.
The RTI papers showed that the comparative figures of CGI sheets purchased by the State Housing Department and the actual number of sheets, as per the ‘invoice’, procured from the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) vary by huge margins.
The State Housing Board stated that 1392.90 metric tonnes (MT) of CGI sheets were purchased during 2003-2004, 1510.52 MT in 2004-05 and 1470.03 MT CGI in 2005-06. But ‘invoice’ papers from SAIL showed that the authorized local dealer M/s OB Tariang procured 152.40 MT CGI sheets in 2003-04, 1181.94 MT in 2004-05 and 1265.45 MT in 2005-06 from SAIL stockyard in Guwahati.
The MRTIM had dared Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma who is also in charge of the Housing department, the State Vigilance Commissioner, senior government officials and the CGI sheet supplier to attend the second public hearing. But as expected none turned up for Thursday’s hearing. Only some concerned members of the public including leaders of some NGOs and media persons attended the hearing.
Govt defending the indefensible in CGI sheet scam
Entire Govt machinery from present Chief Secretary (CS) and Chief Minister (CM) down to the then Commissioner & Secy housing are seen to be in legue with CGI sheet supplier M/s OB Tariang.
Govt stance: File noting of CS dated 18 Aug 2010, “due diligence has been followed by Housing Dept….. complaints by MRTIM claiming that invoice from SAIL depot is for quantity less than distributed to districts means there was shortfall in supply are based on ‘circumstantial evidence’
MRTIM response: A Raja and Kanimozhi including a host of top Telecom bureaucrats are in jail today because of CAG findings and on circumstantial evidence. “We have prima facie evidence of fraud being committed,” Micheal Syiem, Convenor, MRTIM stated categorically.
Govt stance: It cannot be ruled out that she (the Supplier) may have had some balance quantity of CGI sheets from previous year(s).As such the logic of MRTIM is not infallible
MRTIM response: Why is the supplier reluctant provide copies of the original challan from SAIL on the plea that ‘it would infringe upon her commercial confidence and trade secrets?”
MRTIM questions what trade secret can be revealed is an original challan from SAIL which would prove (1) how much was indented from the Company, (2) what quality was indented (3) how much was actually supplied and (4) at what rate. The challan is the key to the mystery and would immediately reveal the truth.
Govt stance: Commissioner and Secretary Housing at the time, PW Ingty accepts OB Tariang’s ‘Trade Secret’ argument and defends her saying that he considers it her “right” not to produce the SAIL challan.
MRTIM response: PW Ingty as Com & Secy during the period of the scheme knows that original SAIL challans would reveal the collusion between the supplier and the Housing Department. Ingty’s claim that District officials in all seven districts got the quality and quantity checked by technical personnel in the district office indicating quantity in terms of ‘metric tonnes’ is false.
There were no weigh/bridge/weighing scales in the districts till November 2003 after which Housing Dept placed a supply order with M/s Avery India Ltd, Guwahati for supply of 7 weigh scales.
Of the 7 weigh scales only 5 were installed in Shillong (Dec 2004) , Jowai (April 2004) Tura (May 2004) Nongpoh (Dec 2004), Nongstoin (Nov 2005). The rest (Baghmara,and Williamnagar) have no weighing machines till date although the supplier was paid the full amount in January 2004.
There is no indication in the Housing Dept stock registers/files that all the 7 District Housing Officers (DHO) who had been receiving CGI sheets all these years had been provide scientific gadgets to ensure that CGI sheets received were as per specifications (class, Gange of thickness and the length). In absence of these devices, certificates recorded by DHOs on body of challan that materials received were as per specifications were not acceptable to Audit.
Govt stance: After this anomaly was pointed out by Audit, Director Housing Shillong writes in the noting, “In view of non-availability of any machinery with the Department to check class of sheets, the Dept has currently placed orders for Class VIII quality of sheets known to be the least in the class. Thus the difficulty in identification of the higher is avoided.”
MRTIM response: All this time Class VIII quality was supplied but the payments claimed were for Class I and Class III quality. Only because of Govt’s lack of due diligence beneficiaries now have to be content with lowest quality CGI sheet.
Although original SAIL challan show that only Class VIII sheets were lifted from SAIL and distributed to the Districts Mr KR Kutty Assistant Engineer and District officials were certifying Class VIII CGI sheets as Class III and Class I. A huge cover up attempt at all levels.
Unauthorised opening of Savings Bank A/c: Opening of a Savings Bank (SB)A/c by any Govt Department must be authorised by the Finance Dept. But contrary to the rules instead of a current account the Dept opened SB A/c (No 13294) at Vijaya Bank Laitumkhrah with active approval of Mr PW Ingty, Com& Secy Housing.
Late VA Sangma the then Director Housing became the sole operating authority of the A/c through which crores of rupees were transacted away from Govt scrutiny. This was detected by Audit which called it unauthorised parking of funds. Most of the amounts were drawn by cash and were self cheques.
The MRTIM could get the bank documents after much struggle since the Bank officials were not co-operative. It is learnt that many other Depts also park their funds unauthorisedly with Vijaya Bank, Laitumkhrah.
The transactions from the above SB A/c were not routed through the cash books of the Director Housing and thus evaded legislative scrutiny. The entire transaction was beyond the purview of the Govt.
Of the 51 cheques drawn, 19 cheque counterfoils had no withdrawal dates. In one counterfoil the amt withdrawn was not recorded. Hence a transaction of Rs 19 crores of the Housing Dept had no Govt supervision.
Govt stance: Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma stated in the floor of the House on June 8, 2010 that there are no anomalies in the CGI sheet purchase.
MRTIM response: After all the above facts have been brought to light and there is prima facie evidence to prove that a fraud has been committed on the people of Meghalaya, will the CM still stand by his statement? Is it not a breach of privilege to lie in the August House? Also can the CS claim that due diligence was followed?