Times of India: Nagpur: Monday,
March 20, 2017.
The Forest
Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM), a wholly-owned government
company engaged in destroying high-value forest, has hit yet another
controversy by placing orders for four LED touch screen displays costing about
Rs33 lakh to a city-based firm without floating any tenders.
Information
against the 'deliberate' lapse has been received under the RTI Act on an
application filed by consumer rights activist Avinash Prabhune. Procurement of
expensive interactive LED touch screens without tenders not only implies to
financial irregularity but is also in violation of government guidelines in
respect of purchase rules issued vide a GR on December 30, 2015. The GR states
that any purchases of Rs3 lakh and above will be done through e-tendering.
The touch
screens were procured for managing director and chief general manager's (CGM's)
meeting hall despite the fact that FDCM already has latest overhead projector
for meetings and there was no immediate need for expensive touch screen
display.
Prabhune has
questioned FDCM move. From the corporation, which fells large-scale trees
around tiger corridors for its survival, such gross violation is unacceptable.
Already, FDCM has clandestinely buried Rs4 crore financial irregularities in
over 25 years detected in audit.
It is
mandatory for any government office to follow e-tender procedure for any store
purchase of amount above Rs3 lakh. Yet FDCM MD's office placed order on
September 7, 2016 to city-based Online Computers for procurement of material
worth Rs33 lakhs.
"At the
time of placing this order, government rates under director general of supplies
& disposals (DGS & D) were not approved. The rate contract had lapsed
in May 2016. Yet, orders were placed in September 2016, when no rate contract
was available. Hence, it was must to follow e-tender procedure for procurement
of the material," says Prabhune.
RTI reveals
that out of the four LED touch screen display, two were supplied and bills were
submitted in October 2016. On these bills, FDCM's financial adviser raised
objections as procedure was not followed before placing order.
On this, even
ex-MD Suresh Gairola had directed to take approval of FDCM board of directors
(BoD) for procurement before making payment. Gairola had also cancelled the
order for remaining two LEDs in December 2016.
During BoD
meeting held on December 30, 2016, it was decided to take legal opinion of FDCM
counsellor. Legal opinion by MM Sudame, who is on the FDCM's panel, asked to
cancel the orders citing that items procured were not branded and hence require
financial procedures, which were not followed.
Sudame also
informed that as out of the four screens, only two were supplied and order for
remaining two were cancelled, it itself showed that officials at top level are
firm that procurement in such a manner is illegal and hence it should be
immediately cancelled.
Prabhune says
from the documents, it is clear how cash-strapped FDCM is violating rules and
guidelines for store purchases for expensive items.
A board
meeting has been called on March 23, allegedly to approve the bills of the
local firm. Present MD Umesh Agrawal did not respond to TOI calls. He also did
not reply to an SMS sent to him. Principal secretary (forests) Vikas Kharge too
was unresponsive.
FDCM chairman
CS Chandel said the material must have been ordered as per rate contract.
"It may happen that few days after placing the order rate contract must
have lapsed and hence the problem. Yet, if it is against legal opinion and
rules we will reject the bills and contract too," Chandel said.
.JPG)
.JPG)
