Editor,
The clarification given by Pasighat PWD Division EE Tani Taki is an eyewash and a series of blatant lies to befool and misguide the common public. The MMJRMC filed an FIR with the SIC (vigilance) SP, Itanagar to unearth the truth regarding the construction processes deliberately overlooked by the PWD department in the MMJ road project.
The MMJRMC is ready to provide every detail and evidence since day one of the project in any court of law.
(1) PWD EE Tani Taki illegally and forcefully started the construction work without procurement of DPR: He confessed before the MMJRMC that he had done the illegal construction work on project interest, which is another big lie on his part to divert the issue. Taki appealed to the MMJRMC to let him continue with the construction work, else the first installment (an amount of Rs 15 crores) would be deducted or de-sanctioned from the project cost.
(2) If the PWD has not certified the construction works yet, what were they doing all these months? Why were they not cooperating with the MMJRMC when a number of complaint letters were submitted to them? Why did he issue the notices only after the MMJRMC’s intervention? Despite repeated complaints submitted to the PWD EE, why did the PWD officials resist and remain silent spectators to all the substandard works rampantly carried out by the contractor? How on earth could the EE approve huge boulders as sub-grade material in the MMJ road project?
If the MMJRMC was wrong, why would the PWD officials agree to re-scarify the whole stretch of the construction works? These are the tactics he often uses when he’s pushed into a tight corner.
(3) Since the inception of the project, the MMJRMC repeatedly enquired about the contractor, but PWD EE Tani Taki denied and told the committee members: “Why would you meet the contractor? I don’t know who the contractor is. If need be, I will answer every query you need to know.”
(4) Time and again, the MMJRMC told the PWD that the MMJ road project is an EPC mode of tender where the contractor is fully responsible for the DPR, maintaining work quality until completion and handover of the project to the executing agency, but then the PWD EE altogether had different version and construction processes. Till date, no contractor is visible on the project site except the PWD EE and his subordinate staffers as contractors and site engineers.
(5) Being the head of the executing agency (PWD), his duty is to check and insist on quality of work; he cannot just wash off his hands. Had the irregularities not been tracked down and exposed by the MMJRMC, he would’ve no say upon the substandard works and compromised with the quality of work in the MMJ road project.
(6) “The department has not yet certified that the work executed is of good quality and as per specification of the DPR.” This statement of EE Taki is uncalled for. The statement itself had the prima facie of delinquency and dereliction of duty under the CSS (Conduct) Rules, 1964. Now the onus is on the PWD to tell the public that a stretch of 9 kms of the road had been laid with sub-grade layers by the executing firm without being monitored by the PWD officials, and still the EE says that the department is not liable for the substandard works. I wonder why the EE is hell bent on proving himself innocent. His connivance and intention was very clear from day one, and the same was proved by the MMJRMC for allowing the contractor to illegally dump unspecified construction materials at the project site.
When the irregularities of using unspecified materials surfaced beneath the road while scarifying the same in the sub-grade layer, why is the PWD seeking scrutiny from other authorities?
(7) Boulder size aggregates. The PWD EE means to say that every oversized boulder laid in the sun grade layer were done mistakenly and such boulders will be transported to a crusher machine? If so, why were the oversized boulders compacted using vibratory rollers?
(8) “Most of the monitoring committee members are non-technical persons who neither try nor have the ability to comprehend the engineering aspects of the work despite being explained to them many times.” This very sentence carries the whole intention of dupery. Now, should we say, he was playing the mischief and allowing the illegal works, so that no non-technical persons can figure it out? The matter in concern needs no high technical aspects and views; apparently, the illegality was visible on the road surface and even ordinary village folks can gauge what the executing firm was doing.
Most members of the MMJRMC team are not technically competent to certify the quality of the work sounds good. But the fact is that construction work is not a subject of rocket science, the nitty-gritty issue can be identified by ordinary folks after going through the DPR of the project. Instead of being thankful and cooperative to the public demand, the department authority seems annoyed. This is unhealthy, unfortunate and unbecoming character and attitudes on part of the PWD EE, Pasighat.
(9) “Some of the committee members were participants in the tender, who failed to secure the work. Their motive is only to cause hindrance to the work for ulterior motives.” This is another blatant lie from the PWD EE to tarnish the image of the MMJRMC. None of the committee members participated in the rehabilitation and upgradation of the Mirem-Mikong-Jonai road tender. Following are the firms that participated in the tender process.
(1) M/s Asean Agencies
(2) Puna Hinda Construction
(3) Kenge Enterprise
From the above list, one can make out who the liar is, and thereby trying to befool innocent public. Forget the firms and enterprises of 37 West Pasighat constituency, not a single firm from East Siang district participated in the said tender.
(10) However, when asked to set up a laboratory at the site immediately for quality control, PWD EE Tani Taki admitted to the fact that there are oversized aggregates in the sub-grade layer. This shows the delinquency on his part. Had the irregularities not been detected by the MMJRMC, the department concerned would’ve gone scot-free.
Regarding the laboratory, the EE forgot the fact that prior to starting up of the project work, setting up of laboratory is mandatory as per tender agreement. Any materials which ought to be used in the road construction should pass the requisite test. So, it can be said that every material used in the construction works prior to setting up of a laboratory at the construction site needs to be re-scarified and go for lab testing. Delinquency and dereliction of duty is committed by the PWD and for such act the erring officers should be given exemplary punishment, so that it remains as a warning bell for other erring officers too.
PWD EE Tani Taki clarified to himself to install laboratory equipment as per tender agreements. The fact of the matter is, what was he doing all these months while the contractor was dumping huge boulders in place of sand, soil and silt in the sub-grade layer? Why would he serve notice to the contractor after the intervention of the MMJRMC team? This attitude of Taki tells the whole story in short. If it wasn’t for the MMJRMC team, EE-cum-contractor Tani Taki would’ve been a silent spectator to all the illegalities taking place in the MMJ road project.
(11) “The self-styled MMJRMC has been causing hindrance since the beginning of the project.” The EE-cum-contractor of the MMJ road, Tani Taki tried all tactics to construct the road through forceful and illegal means, but till date he is unable to implement his policies as per his wishes. In the eyes of the MMJRMC team, not a single portion or layer of the road is constructed yet, as the contractor has to re-scariy the whole stretch and start the road construction from stage one.
Since the inception of the project, the MMJRMC is committed to check the quality of work in the MMJ road project and will remain so until we reach our destination.
Jacob Paron,
President,
MMJRMC,
Ruksin,
East Siang district