Thoubal Multipurpose Project runs into fund impasse
Headlines 10:48
IMPHAL, July 15: The failure of the Irrigation and Flood Control Dept of the state to complete most of the plans and projects taken up in the state for the welfare of the people has been found to be due to the misuse of government funds.
The Thoubal Multipurpose Project is an important project of the IFCD.
A huge amount of Rs 69.64 lakhs have been reportedly swindled by engineers, entrusted with the said project work in connivance with officials of the concerned department.
Based on official reports received by the IFP, works on the Thoubal Multipurpose Project was started in 1989 at an estimated cost of Rs 24.77 crores.
The report further stated that the test checks (July 2002) of the records of the Thoubal Project Division-I, Irrigation and Flood Control Department revealed the cost of construction of earthen dam of Thoubal Multipurpose Project was revised from time to time due to escalation of cost of material and labour. The balance work for the construction of the Dam was revised (May 2006) from Rs 126.54 crores to Rs 294.17 crore, for which administrative approval of the expenditure was accorded (May 2006) by the government.
It went on to say that one of the items included in the original work was “Providing rip rap pitching with hard stones” to protect the surface of the earth dam and cofferdam. A total quantity of 1,88,807 cubic metre (cum) (Earth Dam: 1,84,795 cum and cofferdam: 4,012 cum) of this item of the work was to be constructed at the rate of Rs 1048 per cum 5.5 percent above estimated cost of Rs 993 per cum i.e at a cost of Rs 19.79 crores. Stone and boulders were to be ferried fromsuitable quarry to execute this work.
It said as on March 2012, a quantity of 61,212,17 cum (Earth Dam: 58,324,67 cum and cofferdam: 2,887.50 cum) had been constructed and Rs 6.42 crores had been paid to the contractor for executing this work.
Further scrutiny revealed that that the division framed the estimate based on the Manipur Schedule of Rates, 2004 for ferrying stones and boulders from an unidentified quarry 60 km away from the work site. This unidentified quarrry had a longer lead of 12 km from the approved quarry of Itok, 48 km from the work site.
Had the estimate been formed considering the nearer Itok quarry, the work could have been executed @ Rs 934.23 per cum. Thus, by allowing higher lead, there was a loss to the government to the tune of Rs 69.64 lakhs.
In thier reply, the department stated (December 2012) that sufficient quantity of boulder/stone which fulfilled the specification of the work was not available at Itok quarry. Further, the quarry was stated to be in extremist prone area.
The reply was not acceptable as Itok quarry has been an approval quarry in the State for many years; which would not be posiible had boulder/stone of good quality been not available in sufficient quantity. Moreover, the material available in quarry was not only being used for other works of the Dam project but also for construction of important buildings, National Highways etc. Further, law and order problem would affect the distant quarry as it would at Itok quarry.
The Thoubal Multipurpose Project is an important project of the IFCD.
A huge amount of Rs 69.64 lakhs have been reportedly swindled by engineers, entrusted with the said project work in connivance with officials of the concerned department.
Based on official reports received by the IFP, works on the Thoubal Multipurpose Project was started in 1989 at an estimated cost of Rs 24.77 crores.
The report further stated that the test checks (July 2002) of the records of the Thoubal Project Division-I, Irrigation and Flood Control Department revealed the cost of construction of earthen dam of Thoubal Multipurpose Project was revised from time to time due to escalation of cost of material and labour. The balance work for the construction of the Dam was revised (May 2006) from Rs 126.54 crores to Rs 294.17 crore, for which administrative approval of the expenditure was accorded (May 2006) by the government.
It went on to say that one of the items included in the original work was “Providing rip rap pitching with hard stones” to protect the surface of the earth dam and cofferdam. A total quantity of 1,88,807 cubic metre (cum) (Earth Dam: 1,84,795 cum and cofferdam: 4,012 cum) of this item of the work was to be constructed at the rate of Rs 1048 per cum 5.5 percent above estimated cost of Rs 993 per cum i.e at a cost of Rs 19.79 crores. Stone and boulders were to be ferried fromsuitable quarry to execute this work.
It said as on March 2012, a quantity of 61,212,17 cum (Earth Dam: 58,324,67 cum and cofferdam: 2,887.50 cum) had been constructed and Rs 6.42 crores had been paid to the contractor for executing this work.
Further scrutiny revealed that that the division framed the estimate based on the Manipur Schedule of Rates, 2004 for ferrying stones and boulders from an unidentified quarry 60 km away from the work site. This unidentified quarrry had a longer lead of 12 km from the approved quarry of Itok, 48 km from the work site.
Had the estimate been formed considering the nearer Itok quarry, the work could have been executed @ Rs 934.23 per cum. Thus, by allowing higher lead, there was a loss to the government to the tune of Rs 69.64 lakhs.
In thier reply, the department stated (December 2012) that sufficient quantity of boulder/stone which fulfilled the specification of the work was not available at Itok quarry. Further, the quarry was stated to be in extremist prone area.
The reply was not acceptable as Itok quarry has been an approval quarry in the State for many years; which would not be posiible had boulder/stone of good quality been not available in sufficient quantity. Moreover, the material available in quarry was not only being used for other works of the Dam project but also for construction of important buildings, National Highways etc. Further, law and order problem would affect the distant quarry as it would at Itok quarry.
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