Funds recovery yet to start :Vamsadhara shutters scam

Srikakulam: Misappropriated funds recovery process in shutters scam is yet to start in Vamsadhara project in Srikakulam. The government gave its nod for arrangement of shutters on irrigation canals in Narasannapeta and Tekkali divisions of Vamsadhara river project circle in Srikakulam district during 2006 and 2008.

Highlights:

• Lying unused since eight years
• Proposals sent for their usage

Taking it as an advantage, the then engineers had reportedly colluded with contractors and purchased low quality shutters at high price. To escape from liability, engineers and contractors had created fake agreement papers by managing stamp vendors and with fresh dates.

The entire issue came to light in 2009 and the government had referred it to the Crime Investigation Department (CID). Simultaneously, the Commission of Inquiry also launched investigation and estimated that scam worth Rs 33 crore took place. The CID also booked cases against all 33 engineers, including technical staff, of them six died and 12 others were retired.
The Commission of Inquiry recommended the government to recover Rs 33 crore from officials in May 2014. Later, the TDP government came to power in June 2014 and officials started managing the ruling party leaders.
In the wake of investigation, shutters were lying at 11 places across the Vamsadhara circle since 2009. As a result, shutters started decaying due to formation of rust.

For use of shutters, officials prepared proposals with an aim to save public money. “We sent a request to the government for the use of shutters through the District Collector as legal consequences were involved in it,” Vamsadhara project superintending engineer B Appala Naidu and district irrigation adviser M V Ramana Murthy told The Hans India.

By Chowdari Lakshmana Rao