In the month of August last year, the Deputy Commissioner of Udhampur constituted a committee to probe the stories of violation of rules in distribution of kerosene oil in Udhampur District. This Committee made a thorough inquiry and came to know about startling fact which it reported to the DC when the final report was submitted. For example, it found that Cooperative Societies and CAPD Department distributed 1.03 crore liters of oil during last three years (2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15). Out of total kerosene oil distributed, 23.34 lakh liters was distributed by Cooperative Department and 80.58 lakh liters by the CAPD Department. While there was proper record of distribution of kerosene oil through Cooperative Societies, no sale centre wise record was available in respect of kerosene oil distribution by the CAPD Department through private depots.
How come that the CAPD claiming to have distributed nearly four times more the quantity of kerosene than what was distributed by the Cooperative Department failed to maintain proper record of the distribution depot-wise. Was the oil something like the piped water that anybody opening the tape got it? It makes us think that proper record is deliberately kept hidden from the committee under the pretext that no record is available. To whom was the oil given and how much and on what basis and to whom did the dealers provide? These questions will open up Pandora’s Box if the CPAD is compelled to disclose the records.
Another glaring discrepancy which the committee found was that only 22% of the allotment was made in favour of 50276 families whereas 78% of the quota has been allotted and distributed through CAPD sale centers comprising 39,000 families only. The committee had even pointed out that no parameters are followed during allocation of quota. This is crystal clear case of corruption. CAPD distributed 78 per cent of the quota to just 39,000 families whereas actually it should have distributed it to no fewer than 2, 19200 families by the same ratio. Where did the huge quantity of oil go? Who is going to account for it?
The most astonishing part of the story is that after the Deputy Commissioner of Udhampur submitted the finding of the three-member committee along with his recommendations to the CAPD, it was expected that the CPAD would take proper action and place the concerned functionaries under suspension. Instead of doing that, the CAPD constituted another committee on its level giving the rationale that after going though the report of the DC, it had become necessary for the Department to find out if such malpractices are taking place in other districts also. The committee that the CAPD constituted has not submitted any report so far though many months have elapsed. It is a moot point whether this committee comprising the members drawn from the CAPD has the real intention of submitting its report and stemming the rot that is in the distribution system of kerosene oil in CAPD or not. We think this is a covert attempt of dragging on the findings of the committee for indefinite time so that the case is forgotten and nothing is heard about it. Kerosene oil which is meant for the people in remote areas does not reach them, and is sold in black market for which known agencies are working in a clandestine manner. We simply wonder why the vigilance organizations are not taking an initiative of conducting a thorough inquiry into all scams of CAPD and expose all those who are partisans in this sordid affair.
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