Premium
This is an archive article published on December 14, 2016

PIB statement on Arunachal Project: Baseless, says Govt, but facts say otherwise

However, the irregularities flagged by CVO Satish Verma in his report to CVC, CBI and Ministry of Power, pertain to a period of May-July 2015.

Kiren Rijiju, Kiren Rijiju scam, Kiren rijiju power scam, Kiren Rijiju hydel power, rijiju scam, Rijiju controversy, Arunachal Pradesh-Kiren Rijiju, PIB-Kiren Rijiju, Indian Express, India news, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju came under fire after The Indian Express reported on the CVO’s report alleging a range of irregularities in a dam project in Arunachal Pradesh. (Source: File/PTI)

The Government on Tuesday came to the defence of North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) and Kiren Rijiju after The Indian Express reported today on the CVO’s report alleging a range of irregularities in a dam project in Arunachal Pradesh. The government said that the boulder transportation project was awarded in 2012 when the current government was not in power. “Work for transportation of boulders/ sand was awarded to them in 2012 itself, much before the present government took charge,” a Press Information Bureau statement said.

However, the irregularities flagged by CVO Satish Verma in his report to CVC, CBI and Ministry of Power, pertain to a period of May-July 2015. The alleged fake transportation bills where thousands of tonnes of stones were ferried on scooters and cars belonged to this period. Verma recommended a probe into bills since 2013.

Watch What Else is Making News

The PIB statement further said, “PEL executed the work from December 2012 to July 2015 and payment was made to them from time to time during this period, after due process of verification and measurement of quantity at site and the certification of distance by the State government officials namely Asstt. District Mineral Officer (ADMO), regarding quantity of boulder/sand mined from the respective quarry.”

Story continues below this ad

Verma, in his report, echoed this. What he red-flagged was the fact that there was no system to verify this certification. “It became clear that the distance of transportation in the extra lead bills were solely on the basis of endorsements made on transportation summaries (as provided by the contractors) by a district official called Assistant Mineral Development Officer (AMDO)… The project officials of Kameng HEP had no system for verifying the distances involved and yet passed the bills for hundreds of crores of rupees on account of extra lead to the contractors,” the report notes. The PIB release inaccurately refers to Assistant Mineral Development Officer (AMDO) as Asstt. District Mineral Officer (ADMO).

The PIB release also says that in October 2015, Verma himself authorised ad hoc payment of 60% and in February 2016, further payment of 80% against bills. This, the Verma report says, was done because the project was stalled and investigation was pending. These payments were made against bills which at least had vehicle numbers (even if fake). Verma recommended legal action against PEL after completion of probe.

The PIB release says that “at no point did Shri Rijiju recommend that payment be released but only requested that ‘kindly get this petition considered in your Ministry sympathetically on priority”. The petition, however, clearly demanded release of funds. It also said since 60% payments were released by NEEPCO on November 4, Rijiju’s letter had no bearing on the payments. Still Rijiju’s “distant cousin” Goboi met CVO Verma in December to persuade him to release payments.

The release said, “NEEPCO is a Mini Ratna company and the government does not interfere in the operational matters of PSUs. No instructions or directions by the Government were given to NEEPCO at any time for making any payments. Thus, the allegations made are baseless, totally false and seem to be motivated by the chargesheet issued against an officer for violation of CVC instructions and service conduct rules.”

 

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments
Advertisement
Loading Taboola...
Advertisement