Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 24: The High Court today sought status of prosecution against the PHE officials involved in much publicized multi-crore scam in PHE division Handwara as also the status of challan filed against the erring officials in the scam.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rashid Ali Dar while hearing PIL on much publicized multi-crore scam in PHE division Handwara in which various employees from the rank of Executive Engineer to Junior Engineer are under suspension and facing trial, today sought the status and progress of trial, which is pending before Special Court Anti-Corruption, Baramulla.
State counsel B A Dar informed the Court that challan against the erring officials involved in the scam is pending before the court of Special Court Anti-Corruption, Baramulla. On asking about the progress of trial in the case, the State counsel could not inform the court about the same as no report in this regard was submitted by him.
Court on August 29 had directed that in case the challan has been submitted before the court of law, then the progress and stage of the said challan be also submitted to the court along with the details of those persons who are involved in the scam.
Public Health Engineering Department is also supposed to apprise the court about the process and details of disciplinary action taken against the erring officials of the department who were involved in the scam.
FIR in the scam has been registered in Police Station Handwara after the scam surfaced in PHE department of Handwara Division way back in the year 2014 and immediately a PIL was filed before the court seeking probe into the scam and brought under book the erring officials.
The multi-crore embezzlement of public exchequer was unearthed in PHE department of Handwara Division way back in the year 2014 and immediately a PIL was filed before the court seeking probe into the scam.
The drinking water scheme in Handwara division was carried under National Rural Drinking Water Program (NRDWP) but the amount which was to be incurred on the said scheme has been embezzled by the officials of PHE department due to which the project has not been completed and today extending the scope of the PIL, the court directed for appraisal of other water schemes in the Valley from the CE.
It may be mentioned here that approximately Rs 45 crores has been swindled and the said money was meant for the scheme launched under NRDWP to provide the drinking water to the people of district Handwara and its adjoining hilly areas.
Court also directed that in view of the suggestion submitted by the petitioner counsel, to take requisite action in terms of these suggestions and ensure safe drinking water is provided to general public.
The suggestion submitted by petitioner counsel include that team of officers, from Department of PHE, Health, Pollution Control Board, Fisheries and concerned District Administration be formulated to indicate the number and location of all the latrines existence on either of Bank of all rivers, nallas, streams and tributaries which are source of drinking water for consumption of the inhabitants of the State.
Counsel for the petitioner also submitted that the respondents have annexed the test report along-with the status report which showed that the drinking water is contaminated. However, no explanation has been offered by the respondents in this regard.
He further suggested that the Public Health Engineering Department be also directed to indicate as to what remedy of measures they have taken till date to arrest the menace of polluting of water sources which is being supplied to the general public.
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