Srinagar, Nov 25: The Public Works Department of Roads and Buildings at Chadoora in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district has been executing works without issuing tenders, an RTI response revealed.
 After delayed answer to an RTI application, Executive Engineer R&B division Chadoora has revealed that works amounting to Rs 1.23 crore have been executed without tenders in the division.
 On 15 July, Muhammad Ashraf Jahara of Jabbad Branwar in Budgam filed an application seeking information regarding works carried out without tenders. However, his application didn’t receive any response from the office of the concerned head of R&B after which he approached State Information Commission (SIC).
 Following serious note from SIC, the information given by Executive Engineer revealed that 48 works amounting to Rs 1.23 crore had been executed in Chadoora division from March 2009 to July 2011 without inviting any tenders.
 Among it, work amounting Rs 9.84 lakh on the depressed portion of road at Shanzipora was done and upgradation of link road from Kuthipora to Suthsoo was also taken up by way of GSB filling and construction of RCC drain. However, as per government norms, the Executive Engineer cannot allot work without tendering or execute it departmentally, which amounts to more than Rs five lakh. That too can be only done when there is some urgent demand or in case of emergency.
 “No formalities are being followed in such cases. Responsibility shouldn’t be fixed on Ministers or MLA’s only. Engineers are also responsible for it. Hardly any inspection is carried out to check the quality of works,” official sources told Greater Kashmir. 
 This newspaper has already reported that 2000 works were undertaken by R&B in Jammu and Kashmir divisions without tenders. Among them 1100 works were done in Jammu while 900 works were carried out in Kashmir. Following this expose’, the Government had assured probe against the ‘wrongdoing’. However, the investigations are yet to be made public. Minister of State PWD (R&B) Javaid Ahmad Dar had assured action for allotting works to blue-eyed contactors affiliated with various political parties in J&K.
 The information had come into public domain though an RTI application filed by RTI activist, Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat. “Despite repeated assurances by Government no departmental enquiry has been initiated neither by the Government nor State Vigilance Organization or Accountability Commission against these wrongdoings,” Dr Muzaffar Bhat told Greater Kashmir.
 Repeated attempts to contact Minister of State PWD (R&B) Javaid Ahmad Dar didn’t materialize.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 25 Nov 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:00:00 IST