SHILLONG, JUNE 28: The Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee today sought a report from state Public Works Department (PWD) on the construction of a temporary helipad at Umsawli in New Shillong township, 15km from here, leading to wasteful expenditure.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting held here on Thursday, PAC chairman and senior Congress leader Charles Pyngrope said that the PWD had constructed a helipad for landing of VVIPs at Umsawli at a total expenditure of Rs 47.87 lakh.
“However, this helipad was not utilised till date and the question raised by the PAC if at that time the VVIP deferred or change the venue or the place,” he said.
The PAC has decided to pull the officials of the department based on the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) tabled in the Assembly earlier this year.
Throwing more light on the matter, PAC member Zenith Sangma said that in 2006-07, the then Union HRD Minister was supposed to lay the foundation of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and a temporary helipad was constructed for the purpose.
He however said it was found out that the department had gone ahead constructing the helipad without following due procedure of calling for any tender.
“The PAC observed that the construction of the helipad only for landing of the VVIPs for only a day and non-utilisation of the same for the purpose for which it was constructed rendered the entire expenditure wasteful,” Sangma said.
“The helipad was abandoned and the PWD department was not in a position to reply to PAC on what happened to the wasteful expenditure made by the department,” he added.
On the other hand, Mawsynram MLA Himalaya Shangpliang who is also a PAC member said that the helipad seems to no longer exist since the IIM’s administrative building was instead constructed on the site.
The PAC has asked the PWD to submit an extensive report on this regard as to why such lapses were allowed to happen and who are responsible for the wasteful expenditure.
Further, PAC chairman said that it should be the endeavour of the state government to exercise restrain before adhering to any order which incurred expenditure resulting to be wasteful.
Admitting the need for a helipad in Shillong and Tura, Pyngrope however said, “To land just one helicopter for just one day, the construction of the helipad is definitely a wasteful expenditure. It would have been justified if it had been constructed at a permanent site. Therefore such short term measures should be avoided in the future.”
Meanwhile, the PAC has also summoned officials of the Mining and Geology department on a drilling rick sanctioned by the Indian Bureau of Mines at a cost of Rs 44.20 lakh after it was lying idle for past many years.
Pyngrope however said it was observed and notice by the department that the rick which was given to the department was not the one they were looking for.
“They had wirtten to the Indian Bureau of Mines either to replace it or take it back. From the replies of the department, it has been observed that the lapses were more from the Indian Bureau of Mines then the department,” he said.
By Our Reporter
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