*Delinquent officials yet to respond to H&UDD charge-sheet
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 11: Taking cognizance of the complaint highlighting inaction against the former Cabinet Minister on whose orders liability worth Rs 27 crore was created in the Jammu and Kashmir Housing Board, the State Accountability Commission (SAC) has granted time till December 28, 2016 to him for filing response. However, the Managing Director of the Board has already filed response to the notice of the Commission mentioning that all the delinquent officials have been served charge-sheet under J&K Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956 but their response was awaited.
Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR that in the recent past the Accountability Commission’s office at Jammu received an anonymous complaint highlighting different aspects of Rs 27 crore worth liability created in Jammu and Kashmir Housing Board at the behest of former Housing Minister.
In the complaint, it was also submitted that while the Housing and Urban Development Department has initiated process to take action against the delinquent officials although after prolonged delay, no action has been initiated against the former Minister, who was allegedly the key ‘culprit’ in the case.
Moreover, the complaint was also appended with report of the committee which was constituted vide Government Order No.178-HUD of 2015 dated July 14, 2015 to enquire into the works executed by the Board without any budgetary provision.
As the material provided by the complainant and report of the committee substantiated the allegations, the Accountability Commission took cognizance of the same as per the powers vested in it under J&K State Accountability Commission Act and accordingly the matter was placed before the Full Commission comprising Justice B A Khan (Chairperson) and Justice J P Singh and Justice B A Kirmani (Members).
The Full Commission issued notices to the former Cabinet Minister and Managing Director of the J&K Housing Board seeking their response. In response to the notice, the Managing Director of the Board informed the Accountability Commission that all the delinquent officials have already been served charge-sheet under J&K Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956 but their response was awaited.
The Managing Director also shared details of the findings of the committee constituted by the Administrative Department for the perusal of the Accountability Commission, sources said, adding “the Commission is satisfied with the response of the officer especially when process of initiating action against the erring officers has already been set into motion”.
As far as former Minister is concerned, his counsel(s) appeared before the Commission on the date of hearing and sought time for filing response, sources said while disclosing that SAC has granted time till December 28, 2016 to the former Minister for ensuring compliance to the notice and after going through the same on next date of hearing the Commission will decide future course of action as public functionary cannot go scot free especially when officers who had followed his directives to create liability of Rs 27 crore are being taken to task by the Government.
It is pertinent to mention here that the enquiry committee constituted by the Housing and Urban Development Department has arrived at a conclusion after detailed exercise that several works were executed in the areas falling outside the limits of Housing Colonies developed or maintained by the Board.
“All the payments were made from the internal accruals of the Board thereby depleting the resources of the Board which have accumulated over the years on account of agency charges levied on various works etc”, the report said, adding “since the Board is not getting any financial support from the Government, the depletion of resources is highly detrimental for its financial health”.
“All the works were undertaken without preparation of action plan and subsequent approval by the competent authority”, the report further said, adding “Board had even released huge amount to Power Development Department to provide street lights, transformers for electrification of different colonies within and outside the jurisdiction of the Board”. Moreover, it has pointed out that competence and approval for majority of the works were highly objectionable.
“The prescribed guidelines were not followed at any level during the execution of works and the responsibilities/duties associated with the offices of Managing Director, Financial Advisor, Deputy General Managers and Technical Officers were not discharged diligently”, the report further said.
According to the sources, the action on the part of Accountability Commission during the past some months has sent a message to the common masses that they can knock the doors of this vital Commission with the complaints and credible information so as to tighten noose around the ‘corrupt’ public functionaries as even after being divested of its certain powers SAC can play vital role in checking this deep-rooted menace up to large extent.
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