Morung Express News
Kohima | March 22
The Nagaland Government, on March 22, informed the Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench that a 3-member inquiry committee headed by the Joint Secretary, PWD (Work and Housing) has been constituted to ascertain the full facts of the issuance of completion report by an Executive Engineer (EE) on January 20, 2014 for unfinished works.
The committee has been asked to submit the report along with the conclusive recommendation within a period of one month from the day of issue of the order i.e. March 9, Additional Advocate General (AAG), Nagaland told the Division Bench of the Court comprising of Justices Kakheto Sema and Nelson Sailo on Wednesday.
Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) with regard to three road projects in Meluri sub-division, the Bench, on March 15, had directed the AAG to file an affidavit by March 22 indicating the steps taken after it was informed that a show cause has been notice to the concerned (former) EE under R&B, Phek Division, who allegedly issued the false completion certificate.’
Observing that the deadline of the show cause notice was March 10, the Bench then instructed the AAG to “come instructed on the development, if any that has taken place following the issuance of the show cause notice,” on the next day of hearing.
Meanwhile, regarding the inquiry by the Court as to whether the money had been released to the Contractor following the issuance of completion certificate, the AAG informed that a sum of Rs 26.54 crore had been released.
The petitioner's counsel also pointed out to overlapping of roads construction in the stretch under different schemes to the Bench.
After hearing the parties, the Bench noted that it would be appropriate to wait for the outcome of the committee. Accordingly, it fixed the next hearing on April 26, and directed the Additional AG to file an affidavit enclosing the recommendations of the committee.
The petitioner’s counsel was also asked to file an affidavit incorporating a chart stating the roads on which the contractor was supposed to construct and overlapping stretch of roads for which the work order was issued on November 28, 2011.
As per Court records, the PIL was filed on November 10, 2020 on grounds that the contractor had ‘fraudulently’ withdrawn money without completing works, and in violation of the terms and conditions of the work orders. Among others, it alleged that a completion report for the first project between Lephori to Molhe Post was issued by the EE, though the work was not completed.
