Like many other much trumpeted projects, Samba Cement Plant, a unit of J&K Cements Limited has proved a failure and we are not surprised. As usual, this plant, too, has not escaped the reach of corrupt and irresponsible people in positions of power. The 300 tons per day (TDP) capacity Cement Grinding cum Packing Unit at Samba was commissioned in September 2015 although it was supposed to be completed by January 2013. M/s Ashoka Gears had been given the contract to run the unit. However, after nearly three years of commissioning, the Performance Guarantee report says that only 5 per cent of the expected production has been reached. This is a sordid state of affairs of a project on which no less the 160 crore rupees have been invested.
There are many skeletons up in the cupboard and each skeleton has its story. In the first place, the unit was supposed to give Performance Guarantee within six months of its commissioning which, however continued to be deferred until only recent days. Why was such a long delay made in conducting Performance Guarantee is not understood. Now that the team deployed to prepare the report made inspection and submitted a report which has not been accepted and the authorities decided to send a team of seniors. Why was the Guarantee Report turned down and why did the team of officers take upon themselves the responsibility is a rather mysterious matter.
The grapevine has it that the unit wants to shower undue favours upon the contractor M/s Ashoka Gears. What is the reason for showing undue favours to this company is not clear but it does create doubts. The Ashoka Gears has been paid what was its due but has forwarded a claim for 6 crore of rupees as extra work done over the period. It appears that the Corporation is lending its support overtly or covertly to the extra claim of the Ashoka Gears for reasons be known to it. It is difficult to accept or reject allegations like that because unless there is substantial proof nothing can be said with any amount of certainty.
The point to be underlined is that why does the Corporation’s senior functionaries want that the so-called extra work expenses to the tune of 6 crore rupees be upheld without conducting an impartial inquiry into the veracity of the claim? An expert committee should be constituted to examine and certify that extra work was actually done and not paid for. Only then the claim should be entertained. Secondly, how come that the viability of the unit will be accepted with just 5 per cent of the Performance Guarantee? These questions need to be answered.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel