Journalism of Courage
Several works undertaken by the College of Military Engineering (CME) over the past six months to a year have irked the Military Engineer Services (MES) authorities. They alleged that the MES is being deliberately sidelined while carrying out these works which are primarily their duties for ulterior motives.
Sources have provided documents indicating that addition/alterations to five buildings on CME campus amounting to Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1 crore have been carried out without the involvement of MES the agency maintaining the structures. While MES authorities have alleged that the work is being carried out in gross violation of the Regulations of Military Engineer Service (R-MES),CME said it has obtained all administrative approvals. However,except in case of one work where CME agrees to have approached the MES it makes no mention of the latters involvement in the execution of projects. This is in contrast to the rulebooks that make MES involvement a must at various stages.
MES sources said CME has,in the past six months,carried out five-six major works including addition/alteration to officers institute for about Rs 26 lakh,repairs to squash court for Rs 20 lakh out of the Sports Activities Grant (SAG) head,repairs to badminton court,wherein an epoxy flooring was laid for Rs 10 lakh,construction of classrooms at Holloway Primary School for Rs 26 lakh,construction of a 100-metre wall by an engineer regiment,and demolition of a toilet. While the matters are a point of discussion in the MES circle,some cases have been formally taken up in the MES hierarchy that extends from Garrison Engineer (CME) to Chief Engineer Pune Zone and Chief Engineer (Southern Command).
All these buildings are maintained by MES,which collects annual maintenance funds for the same. In all these projects,MES has been sidelined at various stages. For instance,in case of the officers institute,when MES is already doing the addition/alteration to the kitchen,why is the improvement of facade not been extended as the same project? MES has never been informed in case of repairs to squash and badminton courts. Also,CME has converted a gym into badminton court without re-appropriation and is repairing the same despite the fact that a Rs 69-lakh badminton court is in tendering process with Chief Engineer,Pune Zone, said an MES official on condition of anonymity.
Interestingly,while CME is carrying out synthetic surfacing of the badminton court at the cost of Rs 10 lakh,in a board proceeding dated October 13,2011,CME has indicated to higher formations that there exist nil facilities at CME for officers,men and their dependents to indulge in sports like badminton. In fact,it is basis this nil facility that the Army HQ has approved a Rs 69-lakh badminton court for CME on December 28,2012.
Defence works are guided by Defence Works Procedure (DWP) 2007 and RMES,which involve MES at various stages of approval as well as execution of defence works. In fact,paragraph 215 of RMES says: No additions or alterations of either a permanent or temporary nature shall be made to any military building at private expense without the approval of the authority within whose powers of administrative approval for normal works the amount of the work falls. Such additions and alterations will be executed through the agency of the department responsible for its maintenance under the prescribed rules and,on completion,will be treated as forming part of the building concerned. The maintenance of these buildings is under MES.
In a detailed reply directed through PRO,MoD,Pune,the CME justified its works saying due procedures have been followed. While the reply justified repairs to squash court and converting cement surface of the badminton court into synthetic surface as ones approved under SAG head from the Army headquarters,the construction of Holloway Primary School was justified,saying,The main building of the school has been constructed through Regimental Funds and is not on the charge of the MES. Hence,MES is not responsible for the maintenance or any other works in the school.
About the officers institute,the reply said,The Secretary,Officers Institute,approached the MES authorities for a cost estimate. Once it was received,it was decided to undertake a detailed market survey to compare the costs,if the work was to be executed through institutes own funds as a non-MES work. The comparative cost of the latter option was found to be significantly less and as such that option was exercised.
Interestingly,the reply,at no point says that MES was involved in the approvals which points towards a deviation from the rulebook.
Case in point
In case of synthetic surface for the badminton court,the CME has avoided the mention of MES,saying the works were carried out under SAG head. But an instruction letter by the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) dated December 2008 clearly mentions that in processing projects under SAG grant,representative of the MES will be co-opted as a technical member of the Board of Officers for various projects for synthetic surfaces. The MES officials,however,claim that they were clueless about the re-surfacing being carried out.(see box)
