FIRE IN OCEAN

Prithvi Bhavan, Lodhi Road, New Delhi vs Udyog Sadan, Patparganj, Delhi 

BJP Delhi Pradesh President Shri Vijender Gupta in a Press Conference held at BJP State Office today divulged corruption case worth crores of rupees involving construction of both the above buildings. Internal audit was conducted for Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and audit found financial bungling worth 496 crores in different heads including construction of the MoES headquarters building (Opp. India Habitat Center). Shri Gupta has demanded CBI enquiry under the supervision of Court. 

Shri Gupta also said that the award of contract for construction was given to a party during Jan, 2008 when Shri Kapil Sibbal was Minister of Earth Sciences. He has also laid down foundation stone of the building himself. Building was supposed to be constructed within 2 years time but it took 4 years and even then it is not yet complete and awaiting completion certificate from NDMC. For this delay the cost of construction has escalated from 49.8 crores as was estimated in 2008 to approx. 95 crores as per the internal audit report. There was a provision for 5 lifts in the building but only 2 are in operation now that to without Delhi Government certifications. Auditorium is not complete neither it has got license from Delhi Police. Guest House is nowhere. Interestingly the contract for construction (without tender process) document is not traceable. Delhi Fire Service certificate has not been obtained so far. Rule says that if any Government building is constructed by other party then Government body like CPWD, NBCC etc. prior clearance has to be obtained from Ministry of Urban Development. But in the instant case it has not happened. 

As per NDMC, there is no building named “Prithvi Bhavan” in Delhi which is given in writing against an RTI reply. Shri Gupta has asked that how the building has been occupied without getting necessary clearance from concerned authority. The ministry’s mandate is to save the earth and atmosphere and weather forecasting through different units like India Metrological Department and NCMRWF, Noida and IITM, Pune etc. A part from these searching foods and drugs is also an important area that is covered by the Ministry. Antarctic and Arctic expedition through its research vessels are also another important area of the Ministry. For all those above programmes, Government spends thousands of crore rupees every year. In this building in spite of all those difficulties, Scientists are engaged in research and development works, putting their lives in danger. Indian Metrological Department (IMD) who is the land owner and MoES was in loggerheads for construction at a time, it is reported. 

Shri Gupta further asked Chief Minister of Delhi as to how the Government of Delhi is taking care of Delhi. In case of fire like Amri Hospital fire case of Kolkata where more than hundred people were died, are you waiting for another such incident? Delhi Government recently conducted Mock Drill for disaster management through DDMA to make Delhites aware as to how to face disaster if happens in Delhi and gave wide publicity for the event through print and electronic media. But in instant case when the building was inaugurated in Novenmber, 2011 neither Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh nor Shri Ashwani Kumar nor the Media were invited for inauguration event. It is gathered that because of these situation, perhaps both the Ministers do not sit in the building. The financial bungling has been done by 3-4 officials of MoES as per audit report and they have amassed huge wealth out of that. One official very close to Secretary MoES has been working in the Ministry for the last 28 years getting 3 promotions at a stretch and he is still occupying key position where a monetary transaction takes place. The DoPT (Department of Personal and Training) rule stipulates that Rotational Transfer Policy (RTP) do not allow such continuous occupation of office by a single person for long 28 years. 

Comparing the situation of Udyog Sadan at Patparganj with so called Prithvi Bhavan at Lodhi Road, Shri Gupta said that a match is going on in which corruption is the moot point of officials. Udyog Sadan is earmarked by Delhi Government for accommodating the office of the Mayor of MCD (East Delhi) alongwith her team of Dy. Mayor, Standing Committee Chairman and others. That building is constructed and comes under jurisdiction of Delhi Government in which also completion certificate is nto available. As a result the above elected members of MCD are unable to sit and run the office. Is it a conspiracy of Delhi Government or a simple case of corruption? The naming of both the buildings is illegal and without sanction of competent authority because both the buildings have not got necessary Completion Certificates. The corruption angle could be cleared once the related file of Udyog Sadan comes on the table of Mayor, East Delhi.