Imphal, May 19: The audit report produced by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has declared that drinking water being provided by Public Health Engineering Department is not safe for health and the Department has failed to test quality of the drinking water.

Reports of 2005-06 prepared by CAG for other Departments under the State Government were also tabled before the State Assembly today.

Briefing media persons at AG office today, OSD Rajbir Singh disclosed that due to lack of proper infra-structural facility, PHED has failed to test quality of drinking water supplied to the consumers, causing risk to public health.

The Department is also suffering from budgetary, administrative and operational controls.

On account of non-maintenance of basic records, the monthly accounts of the Department lack accuracy and completeness.

Quoting the audit report, Rajbir said six divisions under the Department consumed 37 to 64 percent of their expenditure in March alone during the years 2003-06 which is nothing but indication of serious lapse in Departmental control over expenditure.

Other irregularities in the Department include late submission of monthly accounts by 19 to 200 days during 2004-06 and no reconciliation of expenditure was conducted during the last five years.

At the end of March last year, water tax of Rs 5.76 crores remained unrecovered.

CI fittings worth Rs 1.21 crore were lying unused for 2 to 11 years due to excessive and unplanned purchase.

Quoting audit report of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Rajbir disclosed that a Division of the Department issued steel and cement worth Rs 24.88 lakhs to a contractor who have failed to execute the work for the last 6/7 years.

On the other hand, 65 cheques for Rs 56.21 lakhs were fraudulently drawn in March 2005 for payment to contractors against fictitious works by Ukhrul Division of the PWD.

Hill cutting for widening narrow portions along a road length of 32 kms was shown completed within unreasonably short period of eight days resulting in doubtful payment of Rs 42.98 lakhs without execution of work, he observed.

Relief funds amounting to Rs 15.28 lakh was withdrawn by the Drawing and Disbursing Officer of the Deputy Commissioner, Churachandpur without submission of any document in support of the utilisation of the amount suggesting misappropriation of funds, mentioned the report.

The Power Department has failed to clear its outstanding dues for power purchase and its total liabilities stood at Rs 519.80 crores.

On the other hand, the State Government has incurred a loss of Rs 1.22 crores in running the Heavy Fuel Power Plant due to its operational inefficiency.

On account of purchasing Static CT operated Trivector meters before finalisation of project report by the Power Department, the Union Govt is now holding back a fund of Rs 2.72 cr.

The audit report also disclosed that the Union Government was subjected to a loss of Rs 1.92 crore in subsidy due to incorrect identification of the poorest of the poor amongst the State's BPL households. Contrary to the claim of the State Government that 35 kgs of rice were distributed to each AAY family per month in the State at the rate of Rs 3.47 per kg, it was found that 99 percent of the beneficiaries were not receiving food grains regularly, quoted Rajbir.

Detailing other malpractices, he said a DRDA irregularly issued 34,280.17 quintals of rice worth Rs 4.13 crores as wage component against works already completed with cash component resulting in fraudulent issue of food grains.

Programme objective of removing malnutrition in children in the age group of six months to three years under Supplementary Nutrition Prog was defeated as meals with less calorific and protein value were provided to beneficiaries and that too for only 98 days in a year against the guideline of 300 days per year.

Out of 561 different works targeted for completion by March 31 last year, the Manipur Police Housing Corporation Ltd was able to complete only 355 works.The Corporation awarded 90 percent of the works without calling for tenders besides the Corporation is yet to finalise accounts for the last ten years, pointed out Rajbir.

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