Governor Shyamal Datta

Kohima, Nov. 1: Alleged violation of rules while awarding contracts for construction of permanent headquarters for 9 India Reserve Battalion (IRB) at Saijang, has brought home minister Thenucho and his department under the scanner. The Union home ministry has sanctioned Rs 92.64 crore for the project.

The anomaly was detected by Raj Bhavan. Governor Shyamal Datta later informed chief minister Neiphiu Rio about alleged violation of contract rules.

This was discussed at the State Level Project Implementation Committee (SLPIC) meeting recently, where the home department clarified that five contractors were shortlisted and work was allotted to the lowest bidder at 85 per cent above the Public Works Department (PWD) schedule of rate (SOR), 2004. The conditions were that work would be done on a turnkey basis and completed within 36 months from the date of issue of order. Another condition was that there would be no upward revision of estimates within the next six years.

It was accordingly approved by the departmental committee under the chairmanship of home minister Thenucho, when it should have been the chief engineer or head of the department concerned.

According to the SLPIC, work allotted at 85 per cent above SOR 2004 was on the higher side. After a marathon meeting, it had directed the department concerned to re-negotiate the rate with the contractor and review the terms and conditions of the contract as per norms before submitting it to the SLPIC at the earliest.

Reliable sources said the matter was most likely to be placed before the Union home ministry. They do not rule out a CBI probe. The home minister could not be contacted for his reaction.

Police chief faces flak

People’s Union for Civil Liberties has charged the Chhattisgarh government with misleading the people over the alleged atrocities committed by the Naga IRB jawans. Reacting to Chhattisgarh director general of police (DGP) O.P. Rathor’s letter to the Nagaland government, the PUCL said the reports it compiled were not false and baseless.

The Chhattisgarh DGP had written to the Nagaland government dismissing reports compiled by certain NGOs who have reportedly accused Naga jawans of mass atrocities such as rape, murder and other human rights violation on the pretext of flushing out Maoists in the Bastar area.

PUCL president, Rajendra K. Sail said reports of human rights violations in Chhattisgarh during the last 30 years have never been found to be false and baseless. “This is true not only in Chhattisgarh, but all over the country. These reports and record of the PUCL have stood the test of time and also the scrutiny of the courts of the country,” the human rights group said. It said various courts, including the Supreme Court, have acted on the PUCL reports and recommendation and passed landmark judgments upholding the findings. It charged Chhattisgarh with not adhering to any form of democratic process to find a peaceful solution to the “civil war- like situation” in Dantewada district.

It has demanded that the government stop using people as a shield and create armed village defence committees as part of its anti-Naxal operations. It has also called for withdrawal of all paramilitary forces from the Bastar and Dantewada areas.

The PUCL demanded that an FIR be registered for all crimes committed by Salwa Judum and security forces and the culprits be prosecuted. The PUCL has urged both the government and Maoists to find a political resolution to the problem.