Another Tourism department fraud exposed; Rates changed after opening of tender

Another Tourism department fraud exposed; Rates changed after opening of tender

POONCH TODAY NEWS

POONCH: Tourism department Poonch remained in news on account of many frauds, which include massive murdering of funds on the renovation of Poonch Fort, encroachment of Poonch fort space from front and back side by influential people, illegal constructions within 100 mtrs of Poonch fort, allotment of maximum contracts to blue eyed contractors to name a few and in that list, another similar fraud has been added. Poonch Development authority invited tender vide e-NIT No 02 of 2020 dated 07-07-2020 for the work “Development of Noorichamb as Tourist Spot by way of landscaping”  at an estimated cost of Rs 33.31 lacs and in response to NIT, few contractors applied for the work. But, in an open fraud, rates were changed after the tender was opened just to favour a contractor. Earlier, one party applied with a rate of Rs 13,29,235.894 lacs and another party applied with rate of Rs 20,21,742.920. But, when the tender was opened, rate of first party was shown as Rs 17,84,995.36 and rate of second party was shown as Rs 28,11,748.910 lac and this shows that an open fraud was going on in Tourism department Poonch to favour a blue eyed contractor, who has already got majority of contracts of the department over the years with the neck deep involvement of Tourism Department officials. The depth of fraud can be gauged from that fact, that for a govt rate of Rs 240.45 for an item, one contactor applied with the Rate of Rs 0.100, for a govt. rate of Rs 102.20, contactor applied  with the rate of Rs 2.230 an for a rate of Rs 250.00, he used the rate Rs 1400.00 and for a rate of Rs 326.75 for an item, contractor used the rate Rs 1500.00. And in an another shocker, for a rate of Rs 3112.80 for an item, he used the rate Rs 1.101 and it shows that how much blunder was going on in Tourism department Poonch.  It is pertinent to mention here that the renovation project of Poonch fort also remained  in news as massive murdering of funds took place in that project and precious wood worth several lacs was shifted from Poonch fort and its whereabouts are still unknown. Huge amount in an unplanned way spent on Poonch fort and department tried to give benefit to a few people in lieu of hefty commission. Moreover, huge chunk of land of Poonch fort from front and back side has been encroached by few influential persons, but department officials in conveyance of Revenue officials did not bother to retrieve the encroached land of Poonch fort, might be due to hand in glove influence, with influential encroachers. The list of frauds in Tourism Department is endless and latest fraud shows that huge blunder has been going on in various Tenders behind the curtains. A high level enquiry is needed from government to ascertain the facts and to bring to book those officials of Tourism department who have been playing regular foul with an agenda of earning money by favouring few contractors only again and again.