DJ Venkatesh
Diglipur, Nov 25: Believe it or not, on an average the Kishori Nagar Panchayat is spending Rs. 3,789 per year on each street light under its jurisdiction. Call it a highest standard of gross mismanagement or a scam, this practice is reportedly continuing in the Panchayat even today.
Documents available with Andaman Sheekha show that there are total 247 Street Lights in Kishori Nagar Panchayat of Diglipur and only for repair works of these street lights the Panchayat spends Rs. 23,000 per month.
On an average the Panchayat makes new purchases of various equipments and parts worth Rs. 55,000 per month for these street lights. This means in a month the Kishori Nagar Panchayat spends total Rs. 23,000 + Rs. 55,000 = Rs. 78,000 for 247 street lights. This also means that in a year the expenditure is Rs. 78,000 X 12 = Rs. 9,36,000.
This clearly shows that in a year the expenditure on each street light comes around (Rs. 9,36,000/ 247 street lights) Rs. 3,789. According to documents obtained under RTI all these purchases were made between April 2010 to April 2011.
Even a school student knows that now-a-days CFL lamp, which costs around Rs. 400, comes with one year guarantee from Manufacturers. This means for one year there is no more additional expenditure on the CFL lamp other than the initial cost of Rs. 400. For street lights the expenditure will surely be little more but of course not upto Rs. 3,789.
This means either the Management of Kishori Nagar Panchayat are naïve and purchased inferior quality materials, by mistake without following warrantee/guarantee or this is a scam. May be just a tip of an ice-berg and the matter require thorough investigation.
Andaman Sheekha Correspondent when visited the village, it has been found that half of the street lights are either damaged or under repair, even after spending so much money by the Panchayat. However, villagers complain that tube lights are replaced only after 3 or 4 months that too after several complaints.
The matter does not end here according to documents available with Andaman Sheekha (obtained through RTI) the Panchayat had purchased 16 Street Light Timers at the rate of Rs. 28,500/per piece while market rate is Rs. 7000/- to 8000/- (can be verified online).
However sources told Andaman Sheekha that till now only three timers have been installed by the Panchayat and there is only one in the Panchayat Stock. Whereabouts of rest 12 timer is not known to anyone.
The timer comes with a capacity of 1 KW, which means about 200 tube lights can be used in one same line. There are three roads in Kishori Nagar, hence three timers were enough for the village. But for reasons unknown the over-caution Panchayat purchased 16 timers and already misplaced 12 timers.
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