Rs 90 Lakh Tube Well Scam In Budgam; SIC’s Intervention Exposes BDO

Budgam, Nov 24: Intervention of State Information Commission (SIC) has exposed corrupt practices of a Block Development Officer (BDO) in B K Pora in Budgam district as she was found to be involved in making purchases against the MGREGA norms.

Details available reveal that State Information Commission (SIC) dated 27.01.2016 passed an order in 2nd appeal No.SIC/K/SA/112/2015 titled Abdul Manan Bukhari V/s PIO/BDO Block B.K. Pora directing Secretary Rural Development Department, DDC Budgam and Director, Rural Development Department, Kashmir to hold a time bound enquiry into the procurement of material for Tube Wells/Dug Wells amounting to Rs 90,08,235/- by BDO, Block, B.K. Pora and to take appropriate action.

Abdul Manan Bukhari sought copy of the detailed report submitted by the Committee constituted for the purpose and also information about the follow up action on the basis of the said report.

The PIO furnished a copy of the report submitted by the Committee headed by District Panchayat Officer (DPO) , Bandipora constituted to enquire into the procurement of material for Tube Wells/Dug Wells amounting to Rs 90,08,235/- by BDO, Block, B.K. Pora. In the said report, the Committee had observed that the records were not made available to them for scrutiny by the BDO Block B.K. Pora.

The Committee had detailed certain payments made by the BDO, but at the same time observed that these figures are not final given the fact that all the records were not made available.The PIO (BDO BK Pora) failed to spell out what further action has been taken by the Director, Rural Development Department, Kashmir pursuant to the submission of report by the Committee.

During the proceedings at SIC , it came to fore that no follow up action has been shown to have been taken by the Director, Rural Development Department, Kashmir.

The appeal again came up for hearing before the SIC on 11.09.2018. In order to arrive at a logical conclusion in the matter, another Committee under the Chairmanship of Joint Director (Adm) with Deputy Director (Planning) and Accounts Officer (DRDK) as its members was constituted on the direction of SIC vide order dated 19.09.2018 to conduct a thorough enquiry into the matter. The Committee concluded its enquiry and submitted it report on 26.09.2018.

In the enquiry report, the Committee headed by Joint Director (Adm) Directorate of Rural Development Kashmir concluded that Tube Wells were installed in Block B.K. Pora in violation of activities covered under MGNREGA and BDO concerned was having no authorization from any competent authority to take up the said activity and purchase of material at her own level. The Committee accordingly recommended that the matter be referred to some investigating agency for thorough probe besides taking disciplinary action against the then BDO Ms Shereen Sofi, AE, Tanvir Ahmad and dealing Assistant Abdul Gani Teeli fortwith.