Top Story: Top PHE Engineer resigns, accuses CAPD Minister of abusing him; CAPD Minister denies allegations, reveals multi-crore scam in PHE Srinagar: Hours after Chief Engineer Public Health Engineer (PHE) accused Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Chowdhary Muhammad Ramzan of abusing him and subsequently resigned, the CAPD Minister revealed an embezzlement of 5.84 crore in a PHE Scheme. The Chief Engineer PHE Ahmad Muzaffar Lankar told GNS that the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan used aggressive language against my engineers and abused me during the review meeting today in presence of PHE Minister Sham Lal Sharma. “The language which Chowdary Ramzan used was not tolerable by me and subsequently I left the meeting hall”, Lankar said. When asked about the resignation tendered by him, he said, naturally when the minster attacked me and used abusive language I accordingly submitted my resignation to the commissioner secretary. In a communication to Commissioner-Secretary of the department, Lankar said that he was abused by the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan in a meeting today in presence of PHE Minister Sham Lal Sharma. “In view of grave provocative language used by CAPD Minister during the meeting I submit my resignation from the post of Chief Engineer and you are requested to make alternative arrangement for running the department,” he said in the letter. However, the CAPD Minister Chowdhary Ramzan strongly denied allegations of PHE Chief Engineer and said he only sought answer about the 5.84 crore rupees embezzlement in a PHE Water Scheme at Ramhal Block of Handwara in Kupwara district. Talking to GNS, the Minister, who is also senior National Conference leader and MLA Handwara, said: “Neither had I abused him nor I slapped him. Basically, the matter is that we had a review meeting of PHE in which Minister for PHE, lawmakers, engineers and even sarpanchs were also present.” “When I asked him about the embezzlement and lack of water supply, tapes and pipes, he stood up and said I am man of integrity and fumed up. He said don’t ask me anything. I told him people elect us and we are accountable to them and you are accountable to us. Even though his Minister scolded, he continued heated arguments. Then I left the hall,” Ramzan said. “I have always respected officers during my 30 year career and officers have also respected me. I can’t even think of misbehaving with any officer,” he added. The Minister said some three years ago he had passed a Central water supply worth 5 crore and 84 lakh rupees scheme for Ramhal. “However, the project never got completed due to embezzlement of funds by concerned engineers and contractors. When I asked Chief Engineer about the embezzlement, he started to defend the officials and in the meantime, there were some heated arguments,” he said. Ramzan said last year during the review meeting on 28 July, he had told Minister for PHE that there is embezzlement of funds. “I told him to investigate the matter. So when the office of Honourable Minister issues minutes, they noted down that there is embezzlement of 50 lakh and asked for report within fortnight. But there was no probe,” he told GNS. The senior NC leader said in today’s review meeting, the PHE officials said that they have spent 5.50 crore rupees.”But I questioned them by saying there is no water or water pipes in the Ramhal block. Some pipes are on the on the ground but no pipes are under ground. I told them that not a single soul has benefited from the scheme despite such huge money being spent on the scheme,” Ramzan said, adding the Minister for PHE asked Executive Engineer, who has recently taken up the charge, about my question. The CAPD Minister said that Executive Engineer replied to PHE Minister by saying: “Yes Sir, he is right. We have spent 5.50 crore and now I don’t have any funds to provide water supply to the people of Ramhal. We have spent all money on papers.” The Minister said that in the past when embezzlement surfaced, an Executive Engineer was transferred to Anantnag. “Two months ago, on 28 June, 2014, I had written a DO letter to the Minister about the embezzlement and had mentioned that there is a nexus between engineers and contractors. I sought an enquiry into the embezzlement and demanded punishment under law.” On being asked about the embezzlement in the department, the Chief Engineer said the case is under investigation by Crime Branch. Despite repeated attempts, the PHE Minister could not be contacted. (GNS)
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 14:58:22 +0000
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