Engineer likely to face music
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 19 2012:
One engineer of the Manipur Industrial Development Corporation (MANIDCO) may get exemplary punishment under the Manipur Public Servant Personal Liability Act for not going by the book while awarding contract works.
The particular engineer allowed one unnamed contractor to execute construction works at Moreh under the Assistance to States for Developing Export Infrastructure and Allied Activities (ASIDA) scheme.
A reliable source informed that the engineer issued five work orders without obtaining administrative approval, technical sanction and expenditure sanction from competent authorities.
Nor did he make any consideration about the position of fund.
Works orders for construction of retaining wall and compound wall for Moreh trade centre and two sentry posts whose total estimated cost was Rs 38,22,078 were issued to MANIDCO special contractor G Gakhangai in 2009 .
The particular engineer issued another work order to MANIDCO contractor Manglemjao Singh for construction of retaining wall from Lalkai Veng to the border bridge of Moreh Ward No 1 whose estimated cost was Rs 34,27,062 .
He also gave contract to another engineer M Ingocha for construction of retaining wall from Lalkai Veng to the border bridge of Moreh Ward No 15 .
More surprisingly, the engineer awarded contract works for construction of retaining walls from Lalkai Veng to Moreh Ward No 7 and Moreh Ward No 15 respectively to two unnamed special contractors of MANIDCO.
The estimated costs for these two contract works were Rs 65,95,649 and Rs 4,86,508 respectively.
All these outrageous and fraudulent practices of the engineer came to light when the State Vigilance Commission probed the matter after one of the contractors demanded bill from the Commerce and Industries Minister.
Estimate books, copies of work orders, estimates and specifications of the particular contract works were not recorded nor found in the corporation's register.
Taking serious note of the engineer's treacherous conduct, the Vigilance Commission has recommended the State Government to award exemplary punishment to the engineer according to law.