‘Massive corruption’ in the name of energy

Standing committee reveals irregularities in the construction of office, workings of the department.

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Standing Committee on Science and Technology on Wednesday took note of ‘corruption and irregularities’ in the construction of the office building of Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET). The case was referred to the Pakistan Engineering Council to reassess the construction cost of the building.

According to an assessment report prepared by a three-member subcommittee led by Zafar Baig Bittani, the PCRET officials in collaboration with the contractor allegedly committed “massive corruption” during the construction of
the building.

Bhittani briefed the committee that as much as Rs35 million extra payments were made by overstating estimates in the records “without any logic.” He pinpointed that Rs6 million were paid to a consultant without any tender, who did nothing for the project
in exchange.

The documents further revealed that Rs56,000 had been paid per truck for transporting steel from I-9 to H-8, which is equal to the cost of transporting a truckload of goods from Karachi to Multan.

Besides, the cost of per ton steel was shown Rs85,000 against the market rate of  Rs65,000 during 2007-08. Surprisingly, the constructor also showed 10 per cent waste charges on steel.

The committee thought that both, the PCRET officials and contractor, committed the irregularities in connivance with each other and therefore felt a need to reassess the cost of the building. Assistance from Pakistan Engineering Council has been sought in this regard. The committee chairman Abdul Kadir Khanzada said that the case would be referred to the Federal Investigation Agency after assessment from the Engineering Council.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the performance of PCRET, the department has been directed by officials to come up with a 10-year vision plan within two weeks.

The Ministry of Science and Technology, under which PCRET falls, would be transferred to the provinces in the second phase of the devolution plan under 18th Amendment. “It has to prepare its future plan for alternative energy keeping the new setup in mind or the provinces would not accept the employees of the department to avoid extra expenses,” said an official.

Committee member, Anosha Rehman said that the PCRET had done nothing as far as its mandate was concerned since its establishment. “If it failed to evolve a visionary plan for future, then there is no reason for its existence,” she added.

Rehman said that the department had made an insignificant contribution in comparison to the huge amounts of funds allocated to it annually.

The committee also threatened to recommend abolishing of the department if it failed to follow the directions.

Anusha Rehman also pointed out that a machine was lying idle in the department due to non-availability of required electricity and another one was being imported, “which is sheer wastage of resources.”

Another issue which was highlighted with regards to the workings of the department was that a number of vacancies, including the slot of Director General, were lying vacant. “There have been no headways in filling these core slots,” said another official.

In reply to this, the secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology said that they had advertised the vacancies, but no positive response was
received. “The revised package, in a bid to attract reputed scientists, has been forwarded to the Finance Ministry,”
he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2010.