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Battery Operated Vehicles worth Rs 27.38 lakh lying defunct at Patnitop




Battery Operated Vehicles turn into junk at Patnitop

10/19/2015
Nitesh Sangral
Early Times Report  


Jammu, Oct 18: Squandering irresponsibly Rs 27.38 lakh of the tax payers' money, two Battery Operated Vehicles procured by Patnitop Development Authority on the pretext of promoting tourism have been lying unused.
Bhagat Singh Force, an organization that filed an RTI, alleged that two Battery powered Road Vehicles were purchased from M/S Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL), a Govt. of India Undertaking in June 2004, to curb Environmental pollution and promote eco-friendly tourism, after a proposal was placed in the 2nd meeting of Patnitop Development Authority under the Chairmanship of then Chief Minister.
Accusing then ARTO Udhampur for delaying use of these vehicles, Patnitop Development Authority replied in RTI that, the delay in the initial running of these vehicles was due to the fact that ARTO Udhampur, when approached, did not register these vehicles. Instead, vide his letter No: 1983-84/ARTOU Dated: 7. 9. 2005, referred the matter to Transport Commissioner, J&K seeking necessary guidelines as these vehicles were first of their kind in J&K.
However, authority has claimed that the vehicles were operated on Circular Road, Patnitop from May 2005 which could run only upto October 2005 where after the vehicles developed some defects and only 500 tourists could use them between May to June 2005. BHEL was approached many times for deputing their service engineers to ascertain the defects and rectification of the same but representative of BHEL did not respond.
Once again BHEL was approached vide this office No: PDAlP&S-21/829-33 Dated: 03.11.2009 followed by a reminder vide No: PDAlP&S-21/1009-13 Dated: 10.12.2009 for deploying a team of experts for check up of the vehicles but RK Sharma, General Manager, BHEL vide his letter dated: December 15, 2009, informed this office that 'the company has discontinued the manufacturing of the Battery Operated Vehicles'. Authority claimed that it tried its best to get the battery operated vehicles operational but could not succeed in the efforts.
After wasting Rs 27.38 lakh, the authority has claimed that they were finalizing a proposal for outsourcing these battery operated vehicles without incurring any further amount on them and some income could then be generated.
Pertinently crores of rupees of State Government goes down the drain every year due to unworthy officials but interestingly State Government is least bothered to recover tax payers' money or take action against them.

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