A section of the road leading to Star Lake and Molhe Post in Meluri sub division of Phek district, which is part of one of the three projects that the RPP and villagers of the area say have been left incomplete despite withdrawal of funds.
Morung Express News
Kohima | May 19
Three road construction projects in Meluri sub division of Phek district have come under the scanner, with the contractor and PWD officials being accused of “fraudulently” withdrawing money without completing the works and violating the terms and conditions of the work orders.
Two of these projects are the stretches from Lephori to Molhe Post (26 kms) and from Akhen to Star Lake (15 Kms).
Regarding these projects, the Rising People’s Party (RPP), Phek filed a complaint letter to the OC, Meluri Police Station alleging that the contractor “siphoned” approximately Rs 65 Crore “in complete violation of the terms and conditions laid down in the work orders.”
The third project is the black topping work on the stretch from T-01 to Kanjang (38 kms), which the RPP and villagers allege has not been completed and was done without adhering to the specifications of the DPR.
All these three projects run along the same stretch of road and the works were allocated to the same contractor, informed a member of the Lephori Village Council (LVC). All three projects were allocated to the same contractor but under two different firm names.
Lephory to Molhe Post
As per the documents accessed by The Morung Express, the work order No CE (R&B) TB/LPHRY-MOLHE/2011-12 for construction of road from Lephori to Molhe Post was issued on November 28, 2011 to M/S Rhino Construction, Government registered Class-1 contractor & supplier.
The total working estimate of this project was at Rs 30 crore, wherein an additional fund of Rs 15 crore each was allotted on two occasions. The approval for the first additional fund was issued on March 6, 2017 and the second on October 4, 2018.
In the allotment work order issued by the Chief Engineer, PWD (R&B) Kohima on November 20, 2011, it was stated that “the work should be completed within 24 months w.e.f November 2011” and that “the date commencement shall be reckoned from the 7th day of issue of this work order or the actual date of commencement of work, whichever is earlier.”
Subsequently, after three years, a completion certificate was issued by the EE, PWD (R&B) dated January 21, 2014 stating “the contractor has successfully completed the said work on stipulated time and as per specification and terms specified in the BOQ and cost.”
The EE also gave ‘Good’ remarks to the quality of work, financial soundness of the contractor, technical proficiency, resourcefulness and general behaviour.
However, members of the Lephori Village Council (LVC) have claimed that there was not even a beginning to the said project and a completion certificate was issued.
In this regard, the RPP, on April 11, 2022, wrote a complaint letter to the OC of the Meluri Police Station asking that an FIR be filed without delay.
The complaint letter was filed against the firm/contractor/executive engineer PWD (R&B), Phek division/Chief Engineer (PWD (R&B) for allegedly “siphoning off/fraudulently withdrawing Rs 65,67,27,000 sanctioned against 2 work orders (road projects) in complete violation of the terms and conditions laid down in the work orders, namely Akhen to Star Lake (15 Km) and Lephori to Molhe Post (26 Kms).”
The RPP stated that “there was no work whatsoever done by M/S Rhino Construction Agency but the sanctioned amount of Rs. 30 crore was withdrawn fraudulently by way of issuance of Completion Certificate....and two additional fund of Rs 1500 lakh each was sanctioned.” It alleged that the total amount of Rs 30 crore was “fraudulently withdrawn without work being done.”
The complaint letter further stated after the matter was dragged to the High Court, Kohima Bench in the case—‘Kezuwete Wezah & 3 others (petitioners) Vs the State of Nagaland and 9 others,’ the contractor, L Metha submitted an affidavit to the High Court stating that he would complete the construction of road from Lephory to Molhe Post by March 2022, “which he has not done.”
Substantiating this, LVC members said that despite the assurance through an affidavit, no work has been carried out till today.
Akhen to Star Lake
The construction of road from Akhen to Star Lake (15 kms) was also allotted to M/S Rhino Construction Agency amounting to Rs 569.27 lakh (Five crore, sixty nine lakh and twenty seven thousand).
The terms and conditions of the allocation work order, dated April 11, 2011, state that the work should be completed within 24 months w.e.f April 20, 2011.
Towards this project, Rs 285 lakh (Two crore eighty five lakh only) was paid under State Plan during 2014-15. The Under Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, in a letter addressed to the Chief Engineer PWD (R&B) dated December 19, 2014, stated that “this sanction is issued with the clearance of the Planning Department vide their UO.No.382 dated 16/12/2014 and concurrence of the Finance Department vide their UO.No.605 dated 19/12/2014.”
Chairman of the Lephori Village Council, Zarpa Katiri said that excavation on the hill has been done “but there’s no point.” He said that that “excavation has been done 90 degree in namesake.” Katiri claimed that except for “Shaktiman” trucks, the road is not motor able for other cars.
The RPP in its complaint letter also stated that the road alignment and excavation from Akhen to Star Lake “is not fit for motor transport/not pliable.”
T0-1 to Kanjang
The third project, which was black topping/construction of road from T-01 to Kanjang (38 kms) covering Matikhru, Lephori and Kanjang amounting to Rs 2672.77 lakh (twenty six crore seventy two lakh and seventy seven thousand) was allotted to M/S Nagaland Steel Engineering Works.
A letter issued by the Chief Engineer, PWD (R&B) to the contractor on November 21, 2017 titled “issue of notice to proceed with the work” stated that time of completion will be 18 months from the date of issue of this work order.
Villagers however claimed that only about 7-8 Kms have been blacktopped adding that “no specification has been followed as per the DPR and there are no drainages and culverts.” However, they stated that a signboard has been put up by the firm at T-01 junction signalling completion of the project.
It was learnt that on April 22, Nagaland Commissioner, Rovilatuo Mor visited the project sites starting from Kanjang village to Molhe Post on foot, as the road is not motorable. He was accompanied by Lephori EAC, village guards, DBs, GBs and village council chairpersons from Meluri, Lephori, Kanjang and Akhen.
One of his companions said the Commissioner was not too pleased with the kind of work that has been carried out.
