Public money misappropriated in Chamling's home district: BJP

A BJP leader today levelled charges of misappropriation of public money in chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling's home district of South Sikkim, where a proposed bridge on Rabi Khola has not come up 17 months beyond the stipulated time for completion though the contractor has received 70 per cent of the estimated cost.
    
Padam Bahadur Chettri said the matter came to light following his queries to the Roads and Bridges department under the RTI  Act.

The deaprtment officials said 70 per cent work on the bridge had been completed by the stipulated completion time of August 18, 2008, he told reporters here.

However, the fact of the matter was that only two incomplete pillars have come up so far, which is about five per cent work for the proposed bridge and may be verified by the public, Chettri said.
    
Alleging that the Roads and Bridges officials were in cahoots with the contractor to siphon off public money in the name of construction of the bridge, he said the officials violated all norms by releasing an advance of Rs 3.42 crore to the contractor even before the construction works could begin.

The absence of a mandatory sign board at the bridge project site made clear the intention of the contractor and the officials to loot public money, he claimed.

Chhetri urged the centre to ensure inspector of various projects in the state in the public interest.