Questions EE R&B Phek for issuing completion cert
Rising People’s Party (RPP) has accused a contractor, who was “supposedly” constructing roads at three places under Meluri sub-division, of making false claim and attempting to mislead the court.
In a press note, RPP said the contractor, with “so-called completion certificates” issued by the executive engineer (EE) PWD (R&B), Phek district, has filed an affidavit in the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, stating that the three projects were “almost complete.”
In this regard, RPP has questioned EE PWD (R&B) Phek as to what motivated him to issue the completion certificates “when the facts are otherwise.” RPP reminded the EE that in April 2022, the RPP had filed an FIR with the Meluri Police station against the then EE and the contractor “on the basis of a fraudulent 100% Completion Certificate issued by the former.”
Considering the “background of massive fraudulent withdrawal” amounting to Rs. 92,39,27,000, RPP said the incumbent EE should have been “careful and circumspect enough not to stir the hornet’s nest given the sensitivity of the case.”
In his completion certificate, RPP said the incumbent EE certified that “Akhen to Starlake” (first work-order) was 90% completed as of September 9, 2023. “This is blatantly false. The earth-cutting work is still incomplete and haphazard even after the lapse of 12 years and the whole stretch of this road is un-motorable,” RPP claimed.
Regarding “Lephori to Molhe Post” (second work-order), RPP said the completion certificate remarked that the road was 75% completed.
In this regard, RPP questioned how can the road be 75% completed when work on that stretch was yet to start? RPP urged the EE to educate himself by visiting the area and check the overlapping of the projects works, which had led to this particular work being abandoned. On “T.01 (Akash Bridge) to Kanjang”, RPP said the completion certificate stated that 93% of the work has been completed. “Nothing can be farther from the truth,” RPP said and pointed out that out of the 38 km work project, at least 40% was yet to be black-topped.
Besides “lipstick” blacktopping, RPP said the contractor was yet to build culverts, retaining and breast walls, and side drains. “So how did the E.E. arrive at the 93% figure?” RPP further questioned.
Accusing EE Phek of issuing the completion certificate with mala fide intent, the RPP reminded that the public of Meluri had been suffering on account of corruption. It stated that road works that should have been completed within 18 months had stretched to 12 years. RPP said that instead of expediting the matter, RPP said EE has become a stumbling block, which it described was “a matter of condemnation.”
Therefore, RPP has asked the EE to immediately rectify the completion certificate and also withdraw it from the High Court, Kohima Bench. Failure to comply, RPP cautioned it that could be compelled to file a complaint against him.