BJP demands CBI probe into ‘loot’ of Uttarakhand flood relief funds

With the state information commission finding irregularities in the disbursal of funds meant for relief operations in Uttarakhand post the 2013 floods, the opposition BJP on Saturday sought a CBI probe into the alleged ‘loot’ of the aid money.

Chief minister Harish Rawat also ordered an inquiry into the alleged inflated and forged bills submitted by the state government during the relief works.

The scam surfaced during the hearing carried out by state infor mation commissioner Anil Sharma where an RTI petitioner submitted documents showing massive irregularities. The documents indicated that officials relished choicest of cuisine even as people were suffering.

“Our stand has been vindicated by the findings of the information commission in response to the RTI query. We have all long been demanding a white paper and CBI probe into the distribution of relief material,” said Ajay Bhatt, leader of opposition in the state.

Alleging that the scam was committed by ‘ insensitive’ officials in connivance with government functionaries, he said that huge amounts were received as assistance by the state from all over the world but no one knows where it went.

“We kept saying that the money was getting pocketed by people involved in distribution of relief but no one paid attention to us,” he said.

The RTI reply revealed several glaring details of forged and inflated bills which showed officials billing the exchequer ` 194 for half a litre of milk and spending ` 7,000 on hotel rooms.

The officials also allegedly distributed relief funds twice to the same persons and submitted fuel bills indicating that diesel was purchased for scooter and motorcycles which were camouflaged as four wheelers.

THE RTI HAS REVEALED DETAILS OF INFLATED, BILLS SUCH AS OFFICIALS CHARGING 197 FOR HALF A LITRE OF MILK, 7,000 FOR HOTEL ROOMS