Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 21: The High Court today directed for personal appearance of the Chief Engineer Public Health Engineering Department to apprise the Court about various schemes under which safe drinking water is to be supplied to the public.
The Division Bench of Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey, while hearing PIL on multi-crore scam in PHE division Handwara in district Kupwara, sought information about the schemes under which safe drinking water is being supplied to the public. Several employees from the rank of Executive Engineer to Junior Engineer are under suspension and facing trial in the scam.
The drinking water scheme in Handwara division was executed 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 projected has not been completed and today extending the scope of the PIL, Court directed for appraisal of other water schemes also.
“Meanwhile, on the next date of hearing, Chief Engineer PHE shall remain present personally to apprise the Court about implementation of various schemes pertaining to the supply of safe drinking water”, Justice Mir and Justice Magrey directed while extending the scope of the PIL.
Court has been informed that one more public interest petition is pending which is pertaining to the PHE department. Consequently, Court directed the Registry to ascertain the same and if there is any PIL on the subject that also be listed along with the instant petition.
Meantime, Department has filed the status report with regard to providing of drinking water for Handwara division and copy of the report has been furnished to the Counsel for petitioner so as to enable him to file his response to the said report by or before next date.
Court on previous date had directed the Government to inform the Court as to whether the drinking water has been provided to the people in which crores of rupees have been misappropriated by the officials of PHE department.
The multi-crore embezzlement of public exchequer was unearthed in PHE department of Handwara division in 2014 and immediately a PIL was filed before the Court seeking probe into the scam and brought to book the erring officials.
Apart from investigation conducted by the Crime Branch in the scam, Commissioner/Secretary to Government, Irrigation and Flood Control and PHE Department was earlier directed to report to the Court about the departmental enquiry initiated against the delinquent officials involving in the scam.
It may be mentioned here that approximately Rs 45 crores have 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.
Investigation conducted by the Crime Branch has been completed and resulted into filing of final report before the competent court of law for initiation of proceedings against the wrongdoers in accordance with law.
In compliance of earlier Court directions, the department of Public Health Engineering has placed its 16 officials from the rank of Executive Engineer to Junior Engineer under suspension as they were found involved in irregularities and embezzlement of crores of rupees under NRDWP.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel