Kashmir's solar light scam worth ₹6 crore: Three engineers attached; inquiry ordered [details]

A week after the exposure of a Rs 6 crore solar light scam in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, authorities ordered a high-level inquiry and attached three engineers for alleged bungling.

Those attached include Executive Engineer Electric Division Kulgam, Shamim Ahmad who was transferred from Kupwara recently, Assistant Engineer Mudasir Ismael, and Junior Engineer Manzoor Hassan Chowdhary.

The Superintendent Engineer Sopore has been asked to conduct a departmental inquiry on the basis of the report received from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

Managing Director KPDCL, Yasin M. Choudhary, has ordered the attachment of engineer Shamim Ahmad, former Executive Engineer of ED Kupwara and current Executive Engineer of ED Kulgam, "with immediate effects, till further orders". Posted as Executive Engineer ED Kupwara since February 2018, Shamim Ahmad had been shifted as ED Kulgam after this newspaper exposed payment of an amount of Rs 6.12 crore to the works not executed till the date of the disbursement.

What is Kupwara solar light scam?

Teams of experts of the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) have unearthed scam in north Kashmir's Kupwara district as payment to the tune of Rs 6 crore was paid to the contractors without receiving the solar lights.

Notably, payment was paid for the installation of solar lights in the Kupwara district but during inspections by the sleuths of ACB did not find these lights.

Reports said that before the end of the financial year 2022-23, a payment of over Rs 6 crore has released at the end of March this year to contractors on account of the installation of 3,600 solar lights in three Sub Divisions of the Electric Division Kupwara.

During the inspection teams of the ACB have not found even a single unit installed in the border district.

Reports said that the ACB constituted special investigation teams to conduct ground verification after getting complaints that payments were made without the installation of solar lights.

It was alleged in the complaint that the officers of Electric Division Kupwara had managed to get the payment worth Rs 6.5 crore in favour of the contractors on account of the installation of 3,600 solar lights despite the fact that the work had not been executed.

After receiving the complaint, ACB constituted two special teams, each headed by an officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), for inspection of the claimed works on the ground. Both teams on the 3rd and 4th of April were accompanied by two Executive Magistrates and ACB's own engineering experts.

According to the report of the inspection, which has gone viral on social media, on perusal and examination of the record and physical verification conducted by ACB, it has been revealed that an amount of Rs 612.26 lakhs has been drawn by the Executive engineer Electric Division Kupwara in March 2023 for procurement of 2685 Units of solar street lights to be installed in Electric Division Kupwara.

"No proper diligence for the bill of quantities was made by engineers. No procurement of solar lights along with accessories has been made. No solar lights have been installed on spot. No time was given in tenders which need to justify the execution of work,", the report observed.

"The entire expenditure has been made illegally and criminal aspects will be seen separately which appears as a conspiracy to siphon off public funds officers/officials", the report further pointed out.

However, Electric Division Kupwara denied any scam in the procurement of solar lights.

"In pursuance to PRI demands under ADF, Executive Engineer, Electric Division, Kupwara has procured as many as 2685 Solar Lights, amounting to Rs. 612.26 lakhs, under District CAPEX Budget ( PRI Grants) during 2022-23", the official statement issued by department reads.

These Solar Lights, as per the statement of the concerned Executive Engineer, have been procured already and are being installed in different Panchayats of Sogam, Kalaroos, Kupwara, Qadirabad, Trehgam, Chowkibal, Hyhama and Drugmulla areas of Kupwara Electric Division of the district, while as at few Panchayats installation of Solar Lights and GI tagging is in progress.

The Executive Engineer has also informed that 35% of the total amount of contracts has been kept withheld as per rules till final installation. This includes 25% in the shape of FDR and 10% in the shape of the deposit amount.