MULTAN: The Special Departmental Accounts Committee (SDAC) of Khanewal has cleared an audit objection of non-production of record involving Rs96.314 million without any justification despite the DO`s (Building) failure to provide record to the team, it is learnt. The case is of 2014-15.

Sources said although the government officials were bound to provide all facilities and record for audit inspection and comply with requests for information under section 115(6) of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2001, the District Officer (Buildings) did not provide the record despite severalrequests by the auditors.

They said the ofHcials did not provide the cash books, bank statements of all the accounts being maintained in this office as well as of deputy offices, complete record of various schemes duly linked with agreement, estimate and voucher involving Rs77.475 million.

They said the stock register of durable/consumable goods, works register,contractorledger,budget control register and contingent register involving expenditure of Rs6.449 million were not provided. Besides, sources said, theofficials concerned also refused to provide the log book of the vehicle under the use of the Deputy District Officer (Buildings) involving POL expenditure of Rs0.614 million and personal files of gazette and service books of nongazetted employees involving expenditure of pay and allowances of Rs11.776 million.

They said non-production of record was a violation of the government rules and legal provisions and an attempt to cause hindrance in the functions of the Auditor General of Pakistan and the matter was reported to the authorities concerned but there was no response.

After the matter was reported to the SDAC with recommendations that disciplinary action should be taken against the officials for not providing the record and that they be directed to produce the record to the audit team, no action was taken.

Among those who failed to provide record were Saeedullah Hashmi, Anwar Adil, Sajid Tanveer, Muhammad Ramzan, Rana Muhammad Saleem and Rana Muhammad Rafique.

The DO buildings in his reply claimed that the entire record demanded by the audit of ficer was produced to him and the contention regarding non-production of record was incorrect.

Instead of taking any actionagainst the officials concerned and ensuring the provision of record to the audit team, the SDAC settled the para without any justification. It also settled audit observation according to which single tenders of various development schemes worth Rs23.884 million were issued without ensuring tough competition despite the fact that the Punjab Financial Rules demand that every government servant should realise fully and clearly that he will be held personally responsible for any loss to the government through fraud or negligence on his part.

Sources said the DO issued work order to various blue-eyed contractors without ensuring realistic competition while the head clerk awarded tenders to his own son (Wajih Ahmed Shah contractor) on the basis of single tender.

They said the audit team was not provided the applications of the contractors as in fact the head clerk, who normally retains different works to be allocated to his favoured ones, did not show the actual sale of tender for each work against the applications.

They said the head clerk did not show more than one tender sold for works and then approval was obtained from the next higher authority for single tender as he himself does not have more than one or two tenders for these worksso that he can easily oblige the favoured ones.

They said these were single tender cases and irregularly approved to accommodate the favourite contractors. The authorities approved the single tenders without exercising the transparent competition which resulted in irregular award of tenders. And although the audit officer recommended that an FIR should be lodged against the DO and head clerk besides taking immediate remedial measures, the SDAC cleared the objection while giving unjustified favour to the officials as the committee was informed that the office received single tenders.

`The contention of the audit is incorrect. The tender notice was widely published in newspapers and contractors were invited from across the province, enlisted with the Communication and Works Department. The contractors applied on their own choice for issuance oftenders andthereisno role of the department except to invite contractors. Single tenders were received from the contractors and the same were got approved from competent authority before awarding the work.

The SDAC also cleared another audit objection involving Rs1.036 million.

Sources said the DO allowed the payment of earthwork with lead in order to oblige thefavoured contractor without ensuring the evidence of such lead by the contractor. They said that it`s mandatory for official concerned to obtain the copy of agreement between the contractor and the landlord from which field contractor takes the earth for the site filling.

They said neither any Fard-eMalkiat (ownership document) of the landlord was available nor was any agreement produced. How it was ascertained that allowed lead was justified/admissible to the contractor.

They said the payment of earthwork without provision of documentary evidence of lead resulted in loss to government. The official concerned was of the view that Circuit House, Khanewal is located in the heart of city and built up area (abadi) of the city leads beyond three miles. Further sweet soil (bhall) was transported from Canal side which is located more than three miles. Hence three miles leads for transportation of the earth is quite justified because earth/bhall was actually brought from the distance of more than three miles.

SDAC chairman Sheikh Khalid Mahmood was not available for comment.

DO (Buildings) Nasir Jalal said he was not serving as DO at that time but `this is not a serious matter`