IMPHAL March 30: The report of the Comptroller and the Auditor General of India, government of Manipur in the 2010 stated that, a doubtful expenditure of Rs 9.21 crore was incurred in regards to construction of guide bund which was constructed under unacceptable circumstances and without transparency.
The report stated that test check records of the Dolaithabi Barrage Division number 1 during June -July 2011 revealed that earthwork of Rs 3.66 lakh cum of guide bund (embankment) which was included upto the 1st revised project report had been completed at a cost of Rs 3.39 crore on March 2008 while there was no further provision for construction of embankments in the second revised project report by the central water commission.
Ignoring the guidelines, the IFCD awarded ninety nine work orders to five local contractors at a total cost of Rs 10.19 crores through restricted tender of Rs 4.60 lakh for construction of embankment regarding a total length of 36.88 km along the Iril River upstream of the Dolaithabi barrage.
A sum of Rs 9.21 crore was paid on March 2010 to the five contractors for the said work. The audit conducted in the regard noticed that construction of the embankments was neither based on survey report nor was it provided in the Annual Action Plan. Further, as the value of the work was above Rs one crore, approval of the Project Implementation Board was to be obtained; however instead of the board, approval was given at the level of the Chief Engineer. The following shortcomings were also noticed in the construction of the embankments, as per norm, the slopes of the side of the embankment should not be more than 27 degree, however the slopes of the sides of the embankments worked out to be 74 to 80 degrees, far steeper than the norm and which would render the structure unreliable.
