SHILLONG: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly has directed Animal Husbandry and Veterinary department to take immediate steps to realise the unspent money of the mobilization fund amounting to Rs 1.81 crore which was released to a Chennai-based consortium, Chennai Abattoir and its local partner Rishan Rapsang for construction of a bye-species modern abattoir at Jowai.
The move comes after the PAC conducted a site inspection on November 11 and unearthed several anomalies as far as execution of the Rs 7.65-crore project is concerned. The Committee, comprising chairman Hoping Stone Lyngdoh and members — Paul Lyngdoh (UDP), RV Lyngdoh and PN Syiem (both Congress) — was surprised to see that the project was yet to take off even after the work was allotted to the Chennai-based firm Chennai Abattoir in partnership with a local firm owned by Rishan Rapsang in September, 2012.
According to sources, the project was to be completed within 12 months after the work was allotted.
Sources informed that the firm had deposited an amount of Rs 2 lakh as security deposit in the bank.
The Government released a total amount of Rs 1.81 crore as mobility amount. The amount released by the Government to the firm is around 30 percent of the total cost of the project which is highly questionable,” sources said.
Following the inspection of PAC, the Assembly Secretary H Mylliemgap wrote a letter to Animal Husbandry and Veterinary department director Dr J Jyrwa on December 5 asking the department to take immediate steps to realize the unutilized fund which is lying in the custody of the consortium for the past two and a half year.
She further said that if necessary, the department can initiate a fresh agreement and a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) can be signed.
“Action should be taken within ten days from the day of the receipt of this letter, failing which the PAC will have no other option, but to initiate criminal proceedings against the officials of the department, past and present for the several acts of undue favour shown to the consortium,” the Assembly Secretary said.
She also said that the direction given by the concerned department to the consortium to give an assurance that the construction work will be taken up immediately, is of no value to the committee at this moment.
According to the Assembly Secretary, the PAC was more concerned with the amount already paid which was not utilized for more than two and half years.
“The construction period of the abattoir has lapsed if it is taken from the legal perspective. The PAC viewed with serious concern that the department did not bother to follow up the matter with the consortium to protect its own interest, interest of public fund and interest of the project itself which is dereliction of duty on the part of the department,” the Assembly Secretary stated.
Assembly Secretary said that the spot inspection revealed work done so far is the construction of a shed worth Rs 4 to 5 lakh and installation of the transformer worth Rs 4.5 lakh.
“Strangely, there was no effort from the department to realize the unutilized fund, even when the firm showed no interest in starting the work,” Mylliemngap added.