The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) has come under severe criticism from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) for wasting Rs 42 lakh by giving approval for construction of an unused ice hockey rink in Leh. In its report tabled in Parliament, the CAG said that the Commissioner, KVS, accepted the proposal of Ice Hockey Association (IHA) in March 2003 to construct an international size open air ice hockey rink in Kendriya Vidyalaya, Leh, to promote ice hockey among students.It was found that ice formation in the rink by natural freezing of water could take place with some degree of certainty only during January and February. However, the Kendriya Vidyalaya and other schools in the area, remain closed for their winter break during these two months. In view of this, the use of the rink for ice hockey by the students was highly unlikely, the CAG said.The expenditure of Rs 42 lakh on the ice hockey rink has turned out to be a waste which indicates that the KVS approved the project without due diligence to ascertain the feasibility of the use of the facility for the intended objective, it said.It further said the Vidyalaya’s decision to keep the school partially open during January-February to use the ice rink was merely an after thought to rationalise unthoughtful expenditure and was not substantiated by any pre-construction plan prior to the sanction of the project.
