Contractors allege graft, threaten bandh

from our correspondent

Itagar, Mar 31: Expressing resentment over the state government’s negligence to fulfill its charter of demands for the past two years, the All Aruchal Contractor’s Welfare Association (AACWA) today threatened to launch capital and state-wide bandh calls soon.

Addressing media persons at Press Club here, AACWA President Takam Padu lamented that the association had been submitting memorandums highlighting their grievances to the state government for the last two years, but the government had not communicated with the association so far to discuss on the issues.

He informed that the association has been demanding the state government to immediately constitute full-fledged Lokayukta in the state.

While stating that the demand might be odd to come from the association, Padu said “The association is compelled to place it because there are rampant corruption practices going on among the high officials. So to bring transparency, accountability and corruption free government Lokayukta needs to be implemented.”

He also demanded the state government to immediately release pending bills of the contractors against the work completed under PMGSY, JNNURM, NLCPR and PWD, which have been pending for last 2 years.

“Violating all norms of CPWD, only against PMGSY works, about 113 crore of outstanding bills are pending for last two year. Capital beautification works under JNNRUM for the amount of Rs 32 crore is still pending,” he added.

Padu stated that the justifications provided by the concerned departments over the delay were non submission of utilization certificates by the state government to the Centre.

Pointing out that the fincial crisis of the state had resulted in frequent extortion cases in the state capital, the AACWS also demanded the governor to declare fincial emergency in the state and impose presidential rule adding that the time has come for such intervention by the governor because there has been deficit budget for last three successive fincial years which exposed the ibility of the state government to steer back to fincial normalcy.

Padu also alleged huge misappropriation of public fund by the present government.

He said that the state government has been following the Aruchal Pradesh Scheduled Rate (APSR) of 2007 and demanded it to be revalidated and updated immediately as per CPWD norms.

“APSR should be updated at the end of every fincial year and that due to not updating the same many contractors resort to low quality of work materials and the government should stop asking for “unnecessary documents” during tender process from registered contractors,” quipped Pado.