Gurgaon: MCG says open to lokayukta inquiry on purchase of cycles for Raahgiri

Hindustan Times: Gurgaon: Friday, August 04, 2017.

In its reply to a Haryana Lokayukta notice issued last week on discrepancies in purchase and distribution of bicycles for Raahgiri Day, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has maintained a stern stance and stated that if the lokayukta desired to hold an inquiry they could do so independently and also review MCG’s records for the same.

MCG had purchased 600 bicycles priced at ₹33.67 lakh in August 2014 for a Raahgiri Day function, an initiative promoting sustainable transport. In its reply to an RTI query filed by a city-based activist Aseem Takyar in September 2015, MCG could only account for the distribution of 428 bicycles and not the remaining 172. It claimed the remaining bicycles were donated but couldn’t say who were the beneficiaries.

Since bicycles worth over ₹9.65 lakh could not be accounted for, Haryana Lokayukta issued a notice to the Urban Local Bodies on the matter and a reply was sought.

The issue resurfaced again last month after a complaint was filed by Takyar. Acting on the same, the lokayukta, this time, issued a notice directly to the MCG this.

In its written reply to the lokayukta on Wednesday, the MCG stated that of the 600 bicycles, 428 were distributed to two NGO’s I am Gurgaon and Embarq India and some to the Haryana Fire services. It said that the ones donated to the fire services department were stationed at the Sector 29 fire headquarters.

“In our written communication to lokayukta, we have reiterated what we conveyed to the state government. The MCG officials, at the time, had donated the remaining 172 bicycles and a receipt stating ‘donated’ is available with the MCG,” V Umashankar, MCG Commissioner, said.

Umashankar added that the process of purchase and distribution of bicycles is transparent and in its letter to the lokayukta, the civic body has clearly stated that if the authority desires to hold their own inquiry “they can review the records available with the MCG with regard to the purchase and distribution figures in the matter.”