SHILLONG: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Assembly will summon the officials of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary department over the inordinate delay in the construction of the Rs 7.65 crore mechanized bye-species modern abattoir project at Jowai.
Informing this here on Saturday, a member of the PAC also raised questions over the positive feedback given by Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Deborah C Marak as far as the progress of the project was concerned.
The PAC member sought to know what has changed since the visit of the Committee in November last year and the recent visit of the Minister which convinced her that the project has made substantial progress.
“The Minister is trying to cover up the controversy concerning the project. We all know that nothing will change in two months’ time,” he alleged adding that the PAC is above any political pressure and will not be influenced by anything other than the factual position on the ground.”
The PAC member said that during the site inspection on November 11 several anomalies were unearthed in the execution of the Rs 7.65 crore project.
“The Committee was surprised to see that the project was yet to take off even after the work was allotted to the firm in September 2012,” he said.
He said that in the two years, the firm had spent Rs 4 lakh for a wooden shed and another Rs 4.5 lakh for installation of a transformer at the site. It may be mentioned that Rs.1.81 crore was sanctioned as mobilization fund for the project.
“This is totally unacceptable. We will ensure that public money is not misused,” the PAC member said.
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister had on Thursday last paid a visit to the project site to inspect the construction of the abattoir.
Marak had expressed happiness with the progress of the construction work and exuded confidence that the work will be completed within the stipulated 18 months.
Incidentally, while local contractors claimed that the work for the project started in November last year the labourers present at the site revealed that they started the work on January 12.
