By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 21: The officials at the Power department have denied any scam in its various schemes and projects as alleged by the Opposition while dreading that the MeECL may get pulled up by the CAG over prodigal expenditures.
The officials, while debunking the opposition claims, also said that the power department has, time and again, kept a tab on the records of the schemes with the MeECL never failing to provide them.
The MeECL had also intimated the Power department that most of the decisions on tendering of schemes and projects were taken after seeking opinions from the Advocate General.
When asked about the high rates quoted for the implementation of Saubhagya scheme, the officials said that nobody quoted less rates during the process of bidding and if MeECL had waited, the department would have wasted a lot of time and the project would have suffered.
With regard to the revised estimate of Ganol Hydro Power project, officials stated that its cost has escalated due to site-level problems and lack of monitoring.
The official have also scapegoated the contractors, alleging that they take up work at a very less rate and, after some time, ask for cost revision, thereby resulting in halt of the work.
Maintaining that the Power department has a very small role to play in the functioning of MeECL and its three wings, the officials dread that MeECL may be pulled up by the CAG for its injudicious use of resources and for allotting work at a high rate.
Stating that it was only in the last two terms junior officials were appointed as the CMD of MeECL, they said that earlier, officials only at the rank of Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary were appointed.
It may be mentioned that the opposition Congress had earlier renewed its stand for an independent inquiry into the alleged anomalies and irregularities amounting to Rs 371 crore in the Power department.
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