Imphal, October 24 2008: Even as Check Drawal Authority (CDA) of one year for the Irrigation and Flood Control Department has been issued by the Finance Department in time, there has been gross irregularity in issuing bills to contractors, alleged the All Manipur Hills and Plain Contractors' Association.

According to general secretary of the association Kshetrimayum Rajen, Finance Department issued CDAs of Rs 725 lakhs for this year on different dates.

However, the Government has not been releasing this amount causing apprehension among the contractors that they may not be able to encash their bills in time.

Though the month of October is closing, no due bills have been issued to 'common contractors' for their running as well as completed works, Rajen decried.

As bills for contract works are usually issued only once in a year, the contractors are losing their hope of getting bills before the Ningol Chakkouba festival.

The contractors' association also conveyed strong suspicion of bills being issued to some favoured contractors while withholding bills for the 'common contractors'.

Informing that IFCD owes several crores of rupees to contractors, Rajen disclosed that bills for works done during the floods twice last year have not been cleared till date.

He also sought immediate attention of the Chief Minister into the matter.

Attempts to contact the IFCD Minister on the contractors' complaint about non-release of bills proved futile.

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