Saturday, December 23, 2017

Bureaucrats looting Energy Dept. and OPTCL in Odisha

OPTCL- An Institution of Secrecy with huge Corruption for benefit of corporate house and bureaucrats
(Exposed under RTI)

Dear friends
 After receipt of information under RTI on 11.7.17,  a team of RTI Activists  had  filed  complaint  dated 24.7.17 to Chief Secretary, Govt. of Odisha seeking vigilance inquiry into huge corruption and irregularities in the matter of selection of Final Bidder M/s High Tech Systems & Services for supply of “12 nos. new design ERS Towers suitable for 400kv transmission line network of OPTCL as per Tender (No. Sr. G.M.-CPC-ICB-ERS-24/2015) for ERS (Emergency Restoration Service) suitable for 400KV Transmission line Network for OPTCL. Because  this Company  has been selected  without  following due tender procedure.  I had also appraised  Chief Secretary  that this  corruption is masterminded  by Hemant Shamra, IAS, CMD of OPTCL  and to stop release of  money to the said Company.

  But the Chief Secretary did not take any steps to stop release of money.  In the meantime,  on 18.7.17, OPTCL hurriedly   released money  amounting Rs. 5,09,77,869.00  ( 80% of total fund Rs. 6,90,24,822.00 sanctioned ) to M/s Hitech Systems and Services Ltd., Kolkatta, a channel partner of  Tower Solutions, Canada, the manufacturing Company Tower Solutions, Canada  without any testing of materials.

Then, I field RTI Application for inspection of materials supplied by the Company. My application was kept pending for 4 months without any response and I was not allowed for inspection. When I filed first appeal dt. 26.10.17, the PIO immediately sent me a letter for  inspection of materials. However, On 15.11.17, I was allowed for inspection of ERS materials in presence of store keepers of stores of OPTCL located at Mancheswar, Bhubaneswar.  After  reaching on the spot, I met  General Manager, Stores Division and store-keepers  to show the materials and asked them  to  explain technicalities of materials.  They expressed their helplessness to explain me details, as they do not have idea about this technology. On query about who are the technical persons of OPTCL having knowledge about this technology, they replied that no such technical person is available in OPTCL. I got astonished why OPTCL purchased these ERS materials, when it does not have expertise to handle it. During inspection, I also observed  that  the materials  supplied  do not belong to  that company  which was awarded   final bidder.  The Tower Solutions  is not at all Manufacturer Company.  The material has been mobilised from different companies  of other countries like Brazil and China. When I wanted to take photograph of the materials, I was not allowed to take it. The General Manager advised me to file another RTI to get the photograph of materials. 

Then, on 16.11.17, I submitted RTI Application to the PIO of OPTCL for further inspection of materials and seeking photograph of the said materials. Besides  that , I also wanted  to know   the  following information from OPTCL.

iv. Provide name of the technical expert who has  inspected the materials of Tower Solutions, Canada   before it is being supplied to OPTCL in 2017.
v. Provide name of officers or experts who have tested quality of ERS tower materials delivered to OPTCL   by Tower solutions, Canada
vi. Provide name of officers or technical experts  who are having expertise to handle   and fix  ERS materials supplied by Tower solutions, Canada.
 viii. Provide name of the technical experts of OPTCL  having knowledge and expertise  about  use of ERS suitable for 400KV Transmission line Network.

On 15.12.17, the  PIO  has denied  to provide me opportunity to take photograph   of the materials while  giving his consent for inspection. Now  it is clear  that  as all  ERS materials  are fake  and  low grade  and now  product of Tower Solutions,  the OPTCL officials are not allowing  to take photograph of materials.  There is huge transaction of kickbacks  among top officials  of OPTCL to  finalise tender  in favour of Tower Solutions.  The documents provided by Tower Solutions are fake and forged which I had demanded for inquiry.

Regarding technicalities of ERS materials, I had sought the information about  name of  technical experts  who inspected the materials before it was shipped or dispatch, officers who have inspected materials at OPTCL site after it is delivered etc.  As per Inspection clause of Purchase order no. 953-000310 dt. 22.6.2016, the  following terms and conditions has been cited.

“ The materials covered  by the Purchase Order are subject to inspection  and testing  anytime prior to shipment  and / or dispatch  and /to final inspection  within a reasonable time  after arrival at site. Inspectors  shall have right to carry out inspection  and testing  which will include  the raw materials at manufacturer’s  shop  and at the time  of actual  dispatch before and after completion of packing.”

On 15.12.17, the PIO  has provided the  information no technical  inspector has  undertaken any inspection of materials  at Manufacturer’s site  and prior to shipment. Even OPTCL  does not  have expertise  nor any technical person  to handle ERS technology. Now the question comes how  and why OPTCL hurriedly purchased  ERS Tower for 400KV line without technical  inspection.  As there was huge deal of money and kickbacks by top officials in Govt. of Odisha, the officials of OPTCL  has arbitrarily  and illegally  given this order to a Private foreign company  for the purchase of materials.   The Top officials have taken huge money as bribe  to  award this tender.

This is how  top IAS officers  are looting Odisha and State   exchequer.

Pradip Pradhan
M-9937843482

Date- 23.12.17 

No comments:

Post a Comment