NHRC to probe selection of K-Pro
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 22 2011:
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has started an investigation into the alleged scam in the award of the multi-crore phumdi cleaning project in Loktak lake to New Delhi based K Pro Infra Works Private Limited.
An official source said that a team of the NHRC led by Deputy Inspector General (DIG), camping in Imphal, has begun investigation into the scam by conducting a field visit at the work sites in Loktak lake.
The team has so far met with officers of the Central security forces deployed in and around Loktak lake and people residing in the lake areas, the source added.
The investigation team arrived here four days back and their investigation is still continuing and they are going to record statements of the people as well as officials related with the phumdi cleaning project, the source added.
Earlier, before coming to the state, the team had inspected the office of the K Pro Infra Works Private Limited which is said to be located at Floor No.A-104 of Plot No.29, Sector-6, Dwarka, New Delhi.
No official of the company was found when they visited the said office location, the source maintained.
The NHRC initiated the investigation into the alleged irregularities in the award of the project to the company after Manipur Human Rights Commission referred a suo-motu case registered by it to the NHRC for investigation.
The suo-moto case was taken up by the then member of the MHRC, retired Colonel Rajendra Singh Rajkumar when many reports with alleged irregularities in the award of the work to K Pro Infra Works Private Limited were reported in newspapers published in Imphal as well as other parts of the country.
Media attention was attracted to the ' 598.39 crore Loktak lake clean-up project when a New Delhi based weekly magazine alleged that the implementing agency, the New Delhi based K Pro Infra Works Private Ltd, to which the Manipur government had awarded the project did not exist.
The project began in 2008-09, and the company which was established only in 2009 was awarded the multi crore Loktak Lake cleaning project.
This was the beginning of the controversy in the award of the work.
On receiving the case referred to it by the MHRC, the NHRC took up a regular case and constituted an investigating team led by a DIG to initiate investigations considering the importance of the Loktak in the global drive of ecological and environmental protection.
The NHRC began investigations into the award of the clean up work of the biggest fresh water lake in the NE region of the country.
It has looked into the balancing of the ecology and the the environment of this part of the country.
Referring the case to the NHRC, the MHRC expressed worry and alarm over the threat to the protection of human rights which have been noticed by the national and local newspapers, magazines, documents and TV.
Reliable inputs had requested for an investigation in the interest of the world and particularly for people of the state.
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