Action promised in ghost plants scam in Pinjore forest dept
Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Chandigarh, March 22
Admitting a multi-crore ghost plants scam in the Forest Department’s research division of Pinjore, the state government today told the Haryana Legislative Assembly that action would be taken as more officials could be involved.
Irregularities galore
An inquiry report revealed bogus bills, maintenance of non-existent plants, extension of contractors’ contract without approval of target and finances from the dept and showing of lakhs of polythene bags filled with soil even before their supply.
The inquiry report of the panel, comprising IFS officer Vineet Kumar, IFS officer Pankaj Goyal and HFS officer Yashpal Jangra, tabled before the House during a Calling Attention on the issue, revealed bogus bills, maintenance of non-existent plants, extending the contract of contractors without the approval of target and finances from the department, and showing of lakhs of polythene bags filled with soil even before their supply.
The Tribune had broken the story about the scam on January 14. Forest Minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar had formed a panel of three officials, headed by IFS officer Vineet Kumar, to conduct an inquiry on January 18. The panel submitted the report on February 7. The Tribune also reported on the findings of the report on March 2.
It came out that IFS officer Jitender Ahlawat joined the research division Pinjore as Deputy Conservator of Forest on January 27, 2021. The same day, he issued a letter to former contractors for extending their contract for a month, though their contracts had already ended in 2020.
The target and finances for growing new plants was received on February 3, 2021. These contractors executed works of Rs 1.87 crore in violation of a standing order on tenders.
Ahlawat was to grow 16.85 lakh new plants, while detailed account reflected only 9.6 lakh plants till March 31, 2021. It implied that 7.77 lakh less plants were grown, but the entire allotted amount was spent.
For polythene bags, an amount of Rs 2.21 crore was got released in February 2021 and Rs 5.61 lakh in March 2021. But bags were used for only 3.22 lakh plants in February and 6.96 lakh plants in March. The panel concluded that for February 2021, more filled polythene bags were shown than actual, which was embezzlement.
It has also been pointed out that Rs 51 lakh was embezzled as it was meant for “EPF/ESI/contractor profit”, but was spent on labour or machinery. Also, Rs 37 lakh was misappropriated as it was meant for growing new plants, but was shown to be spent on the maintenance of plants, while Rs 42.44 lakh was spent on non-existent plants.
Congress Chief Whip BB Batra said, “Is it a zero-tolerance against corruption? Why are you trying to protect him (accused IFS officer)? Why FIR has not been registered?” Mullana’s Congress MLA Varun Chaudhary said that the scam had taken place in the state with the lowest forest cover despite spending crores of rupees. “The department has admitted scam, but no FIR, no chargesheet.”
Agriculture Minister JP Dalal said, “The government thinks that one person couldn’t do such a scam. We will get it investigated through vigilance.” Even Speaker Gian Chand Gupta intervened in the matter and was for action against whom the report had come.
JJP MLA Ram Kumar Gautam said the inquiry should be given to IAS officer Ashok Khemka.
