BDPOs under scanner for irregularities in purchases

₹1.16 CRORE SCAM A probe conducted by the district administration in Sonepat found that dustbins, water coolers and stabilisers were purchased at an inflated price

Five block development panchayat officers (BDPO) in Sonepat have come under the scanner for reportedly purchasing dustbins, ROs, water coolers and stabilisers at an inflated price.

A probe conducted in this regard by the district administration has found that in 2015, when the BDPOs were administrators, they paid ₹1.16 crore in excess while purchasing these items for gram panchayats.

As per the report submitted by Sonepat deputy commissioner KM Pandurang to Narvraj Sindhu, additional chief secretary (development and panchayat) Haryana, the five officials purchased a total of 3,698 dustbins and 124 water coolers/ ROs/stabilisers at ₹3.43 crore.

The report states that the cost ascertained by the technical committee formed by Pandurang valued these items at ₹2.27 crore at market price. It highlighted that

MOST OF THE DUSTBINS WERE PURCHASES ON THE PRETEXT OF IMPLEMENTING THE SWACHH BHARAT CAMPAIGN

an excess amount of ₹1.16 core was paid by the BDPOs.

A complaint in this regard was submitted by one Ramchandra Jangra during a grievance redress meeting called by the district administration on May 25, 2015.

“In the inquiry, we found that the BDPOs made the purchase defying laid procedures and used inflated quotations. In the report, I have recommended strict action against them,” Pandurang, who led the inquiry, said. However, this isn’t an isolated incident of ‘dustbin scam’ surfacing in Haryana.

Prior to the gram panchayat elections that were held in Janu- ary this year, BDPOs were in-charge of the gram panchayats.

Many of them purchased dustbins at an inflated price.

These were purchased on the pretext of implementing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

Complaints in this regard have been submitted in Mahendragarh, Rohtak, and Ambala. Inquiry reports have found irregularities and recommended action against those found guilty.