SHILLONG, June 24 - Meghalaya Assembly Public Accounts Committee after summoning officials from PWD and Border Area Development (BAD) sought a detailed explanation over the irregularities as highlighted in the Comptroller and Auditor General�s report.
�The CAG�s observation that there are 350 audit paragraph backlogs from 2008-09 to 2016-17 in these two departments. This has to be addressed,� Charles Pyngrope, PAC chairman said after a recent meeting.
According to information, PWD and BAD department officials gave their reply, but the Committee members were unsatisfied and therefore sought a detailed reply in the next summon.
�PWD and BAD officials were summoned to explain about the irregularities pointed out in the CAG report. We have now asked them to give a satisfactory reply to these points raised as the reply furnished by them was unsatisfactory,� Pyngrope said.
Some of the irregularities highlighted were: failure of the department to complete the Bridge over River Umiam at Shella even after six years from the deadline which has caused loss of Rs 4.79 crore.
Secondly, PWD department incurred extra expenditure of Rs 85.89 lakh to construct a bridge over river Phodsala in Mawkyrwat area without actual requirement for the bridge.
Thirdly, the department extended undue financial benefit of Rs 2.21 crore by allowing higher rate to the contractors for excavation of hard rock in execution of two road works without using explosives.
Another irregularity relates to BAD recommending funding of Rs 1.39 crore to set up a �Fish seed production farm and Multipurpose Development Project� on a �privately owned plot.�
