Imphal, December 14: The rot within the State Health Department today stands exposed for all to see and read.

Thanks to the deliberate blind eye turned on by the powers that be, essential items that should be made available to patients, free of cost at most of the time, are in acute shortage forcing the patients to buy the same from their own resources.

A well placed source informed that high ranking officials of the State Health Department have been playing the 'favouritism card' no end and one particular supplier has been raking in the moolah even without delivering the goods meant to be supplied.

All complaints put forth by others against this particular supplier are confined to the dust bin, said the source.

In the beginning of 2003 aDelhi based firm, RS Company was awarded the contract work to supply 29 items to the State Health Department, but the company delivered only four of the items while the bill meant for the supply consignment was released without much ado, informed the source.

An official source disclosed that the State Health Department had ordered the supply of 29 different items.

The company however delivered only four different items including 100 bed stead, 30 IV Stand, 2000 Cotton wool absorbent and one OT table.

Here too, the actual demand placed for bed stead was 132 pieces.

Though the number of OT table supplied was 4 only one has been installed, added the source.

OT tables are extremely expensive, said the source and added that each OT table cost above Rs 3 lakhs.

Since the remaining three are yet to be installed, it can be surmised that the three have not been actually supplied, he mooted.

The price of one OT table is about Rs 3,56,550, said the source added that the installation charge is 18 pc of the total cost price which works out to Rs 68,179.Add the freight charge which is about Rs 10,696 and the actual cost of an OT table comes up to about Rs 8,31,320.5, calculated the source.

The total amount for the items actually supplied by RS Company was about Rs 11,52,367.50, said the source.

However the Company submitted 47 bills amounting to Rs 56,45,715 for the 29 items ordered.

The difference in the value of the actual items delivered and ordered is Rs 44,39,347.50, said the source further.

Though some employees of the Health Department opposed the bill submitted as there was a huge difference in the items that were actually delivered and those ordered, some high ranking officials of the State Government exerted immense pressure on the subordinate staff to pay the amount stipulated in the bill.

A reliable source informed that RS Company also supplied items not included in the Supply order and at times without any order.

As such, these items are presently lying unutilised at the Medical Department Store.

As there was strong opposition from some employees against paying the money for the items which were never delivered, RS Company filed a case with the Court demanding that their money be paid.

Following this development, the subordinate employees even wrote to the higher authorities to take the fight to its end and to black list the company, added the source.

The State Health Directorate even asked the company to depute its representatives to verify whether all the items, which they claim to have sent have been delivered or not.

However the company did not respond.

Despite the stiff opposition voiced by the subordinate staff, the company was paid Rs 25 lakhs in July-August this year following strong pressure from the higher authorities, said the source further.

The actual amount to be paid to the company for the tour items received was only Rs 11.52 lakhs, added the source.

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