Correspondent
PASIGHAT, Aug 19: The Siang Right Forum of Pasighat has alleged that the Pasighat division of the urban development & housing (UDH) department flouted the laid down norms while executing the construction of a building worth Rs 5 crore at Jawaharlal Nehru College’s (JNC) lower campus here.
In a written complaint to the district magistrate, the forum’s president, Shoney Pertin, alleged that the department’s officials violated guidelines while implementing the project.
Pertin alleged that the officials “violated the provisions of the GFR/GFPR prescribed by the state and the central governments” and did not follow the process of inviting tender or competitive bidding as prescribed in the sanction order.
“Information collected under the RTI Act reveals that the state’s education department, by a sanction order (No ED/HE/PLG-626/2017, dated 7 March, 2017, and ED/HE/PLG-626/2017, dated 22 December, 2017), accorded a sanction of Rs 5 crore (Rs 3.60 crore and Rs 1.40 crore) for construction of the boys’ hostel at the JNC, which was implemented by the UDH department. Further, the two-storied RCC building has developed cracks at several portions,” Pertin claimed.
He also alleged that the implementing agency submitted a utilization certificate along with photographs in respect of construction of the boys’ hostel, under SADA, on 8 May, 2017, “showing completion of the construction of project,” and said “the agency executed the handing and taking over process without proper reconstruction of the cracked portions.”
“Moreover, the department engaged an unauthorized contractor named Gopal Das in the building construction work, who had been paid more than Rs 1.96 crore in the name of labour wages against the construction activities,” Pertin said.
When asked about the reported irregularities in the construction of the boys’ hostel, Pasighat UDH Deputy Director PK Thungon denied any wrongdoing by his office.
Meanwhile, the district administration has initiated an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the construction of the JNC boys’ hostel.
