Dustbin scam surfaces in M’garh

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Mahendragarh, July 29

A scam in the purchase of dustbins for villages in the district has come to the fore. Gram panchayats allegedly bought dustbins almost at double the market rate without inviting quotations.

District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) Kuldeep Singh confirmed anomalies in the purchase of dustbins.

No dustbin was found in several villages when Block Development and Panchayat Officers (BDPO) conducted surveys. Even, the number of dustbins was found less than the number entered in records, sources said.

On the basis of BDPOs’ reports, the DDPO recommended action against erring sarpanches and gram sachivs.

“In all, 136 gram panchayats had bought dustbins. Neither quotations were invited nor were other formalities mandatory for purchase fulfilled. Firms gave quotations at the time of billing,” one of the reports read.

As per reports, dustbins of three categories were purchased divided on the basis of rates — Rs 3,200, Rs 3,800 to Rs 4,600 and Rs 6,200 per dustbin.

“The dustbin purchased for Rs 3,200 was costlier by Rs 1,350 than the market price. Similarly, the one purchased for Rs 3,800 to Rs 4,600 was costlier by Rs 2,000 while the purchase price of Rs 6,200 for a dustbin was Rs 3,000 more than its market price,” a report said.

Sources said Aakoli panchayat had bought 38 dustbins for Rs 1.6 lakh, Sirohi Bahali panchayat bought 55 dustbins for Rs 2.31 lakh and Khatod panchayat purchased 20 dustbins for Rs 81,450. But during the surveys, no dustbin was found.

The DDPO, in his report, recommended recovery of the excessive amount of dustbins from sarpanches and gram sachivs.

“The inquiry is in progress, while a report of the preliminary inquiry has been submitted to Deputy Commissioner Sanjeev Verma for further action,” Singh said, adding that dustbins were bought against the grant released under the 14th Finance Commission to panchayats.