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The state government spent Rs 7.04 crore on the Adarsh Commission,appointed three years ago to the probe the multi-crore housing society scam. The commission,which was functional for 842 days,cost the state exchequer Rs 83,605 per day.
The information was furnished by the General Administration Department of the state government in response to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by activist Anil Galgali.
The commission headed by retired High Court judge Justice J A Patil was formed on January 8,2011,three months after the scam came to light and submitted its final report on April 18,2013. Retired chief secretary P Subramanyam and 14 staff members were part of the commission.
Galgali said while the government is one entity,separate counsels were appointed for different departments. This was a waste of public money. Moreover,the role of MMRDA,which also spent money for the inquiry commission,is being questioned in the scam, said Galgali.
The total expenditure includes salaries,cost of vehicles,telephone,stationery and fees paid to senior counsel. Salary paid to staff totals Rs 1.88 crore,while Rs 7.99 lakh was spent on telephone and electricity.
The commissions 691-page report was printed from a computer and submitted to government.
A total of Rs 3.96 crore was spent on senior counsel and lawyers fees. The counsel was paid Rs 1.15 lakh for every effective hearing and Rs 55,000 for every non-effective hearing,while the lawyers were paid Rs 40,000 and Rs 25,000 for each appearance. Lawyers assistant received Rs 5,000 for every appearance. Meanwhile,a bill of Rs 1 crore submitted by counsel to the Urban Development Department is still pending.
The MMRDA has spent Rs 1.01 crore for construction,renovation and electricity for setting up an office for the commission at the old customs house,stationery,vehicles for the three commission members.
Government did not table the final report in the monsoon session. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan claimed that the Action Taken Report (ATR) on the commission report was not yet ready.
mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com
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