Reacting to the clarification made by the department of Law & Justice which dismissed the contention of financial irregularities in the construction of the High Court complex at Meriema, Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has responded by bringing out facts and figures it claimed, were obtained from the RTI response filed by – ST Yapang and Odi Jamir and which was made available to NTC.
NTC through its media cell, while appreciating the prompt clarification by the Law & Justice department on the matter (construction project of high court building), maintained that its objective was only to highlight the issue in the media so as to evoke response from the authorities involved.
NTC informed that as per the response of the Public Information Officer (PIO) Law & Justice department on June 21, 2017 the latter had mentioned that the estimated cost of the project for construction of new High Court complex was Rs 43.75 crores.
NTC said it was shocked to note that the clarification issued by the secretary Law & Justice revealed that the total estimated cost of the project was a whopping Rs.161.10 crores as per NPWD SoR, 2010 and that the department had received Rs 57.61 crores and not as claimed by the NTC.
NTC therefore asked the department to clarify to the public on the inconsistencies in the estimated cost of the project. It reiterated that its major concern was the delay in completion of the High Court complex.
Further NTC said even after the foundation stone was laid in 2007 along with other north eastern states, those states have already completed their construction projects and installed the separate High Courts since 2013.
NTC wondered why Nagaland was still struggling for the past 10 years with only 35% work being completed on the ground?
In this regard, NTC said it wished to put in place certain facts and circumstances under which its earlier statement was made for public consumption.
NTC asked the law and justice department to prove the contentions wrong and come clean on the matter.
NTC pointed out that as peer RTI response dated June 6,2017 the PIO Law & Justice department had stated that “35% of the works for construction of new High Court was completed.” It also informed that (as per the Annexure) the total estimated cost of the project was Rs 43.75 crores (Rs 4375.47 lakhs).
Further, in another RTI response by the PIO Finance department dated June 14,2017 NTC disclosed that the PIO furnished copies of 18 Drawal Authority(s) issued under Demand No. 04- Justice & Law for construction of new High Court complex and building at Meriema, Kohima from 2007-08 till August, 2017.
NTC revealed that the following were the details of Drawal Authority:
1. On 30.03.2009 a Drawal Authority (DA) of Rs 5 crores was issued for construction of new High Court building (State Plan).
2. On 28.03.2010 a DA of Rs. 1 crore was issued for construction of new High Court building (State Plan).
3. On 29.03.2010 a DA of Rs. 7 crores was issued for infrastructure development of new High Court building (State Plan).
4. On 31.03.2010 a DA of Rs. 5 crores was issued for infrastructure development of new High Court building (Civil Deposit).
5. On 31.03.2010 a DA of Rs. 1 crore 46 lakhs was issued for construction works of new High Court building (State Plan)
6. On 31.03.2010 a DA of Rs. 54 lakhs was issued for construction of retaining wall of new High Court building (State Plan).
7. On 30.03.2011 a DA of Rs. 70 lakhs was issued for construction of 2 KM of new High Court road (State Plan).
8. On 30.03.2011 DA of Rs. 50 lakhs was issued for construction of retaining wall of new High Court building (State Plan).
9. On 31.03.2011 DA of Rs. 8 crores was issued for construction of new High Court building & Judges bungalow (State Plan).
10. On 31.03.2011 DA of Rs. 30 lakhs was issued for payment of Consultant fees construction of new High Court building (State Plan).
11. On 31.03.2011 DA of Rs. 50 lakhs was issued for infrastructure facilities including water supply, electricity etc. (State Plan).
12. On 31.03.2011 DA of Rs. 10 crores was issued for construction of new High Court building & Judges bungalows (State Plan).
13. On 28.03.2012 DA of Rs 5 crores was issued for construction of new High Court building & Judges bungalows (State Plan).
14. On 30.03.2012 DA of Rs. 10 lakhs was issued for construction of new High Court building (State Plan).
15. On 24.03.2014 DA of Rs. 47 lakhs was issued for construction of new High Court building (State Plan).
16. On 30.03.2015 DA of Rs. 4 crores 97 lakhs 19 thousands 100 was issued for construction of main new High Court building & site development (negotiated loan).
17. On 30.03.2016 DA of Rs. 4 crores 48 lakhs 71 thousands 187 was issued for construction of new High Court building (negotiated loan).
18. On 31.03.2017 DA of Rs. 3 crores was issued for construction of new High Court building (negotiated loan).
Stating that construction of the new High Court complex project was well within the public domain, NTC has asked the Law & Justice department to furnish the Utilisation reports of the abovementioned Drawal Authority(s) for public consumption and verification.
NTC further asked the department to clarify the factors and circumstances that have inordinately delayed the completion of the new High Court complex for more than 10 years.