Despite the issue about evading electricity charges and payment of other utilities by the vendor affixing High Security Registration Plates (HSRPs) in Chandigarh being officially brought to the notice of the Registering and Licensing Authorities (RLA) by the accountant general, audit, in September last year, there was no strong action taken to stop the vendor to run its operation in RLA at the cost of the state exchequer.
As reported by HT on Sunday, the vendor - M/s Real Mazon India Ltd - has been operating on the premises of RLA head office in Sector 17 and the sub-office in Industrial Area since February 26, 2013, without installing its own pre-fabricated structure and sub meter for electricity and water etc, which as per the contract, was vital requisite before commencing of the HSRP operation in the city.
Taking a serious note of these violations, the office of director general of audit (central), Chandigarh, issued a letter to the RLA dated September 3, 2013, and raised serious objections against the vendor consuming electricity and other utilities at the cost of the public exchequer.
According to sources, soon after the audit objections, a notice dated September 6, 2013, was slapped on the vendor to put up its pre-fabricated structure and install its own meters at all the RLA premises.
The vendor put up the facility at RLA office in Sector 42, but nothing was done at the RLA head and sub-office. On this, RLA incharge Kashish Mittal said, lack of space at Sector 17 and Industrial Area was the reason why the vendor could not set up the required infrastructure and sub meters. "However, space constraints are being worked out at present and the vendor is also being pressed to comply with the provision of the contract," he added.
{{/usCountry}}The vendor put up the facility at RLA office in Sector 42, but nothing was done at the RLA head and sub-office. On this, RLA incharge Kashish Mittal said, lack of space at Sector 17 and Industrial Area was the reason why the vendor could not set up the required infrastructure and sub meters. "However, space constraints are being worked out at present and the vendor is also being pressed to comply with the provision of the contract," he added.
{{/usCountry}}The important issue which is still unaddressed is how the RLA would recover the amount of the utilities being consumed by the vendor for the past one year at the two RLA offices.
City-based advocate Ajay Jagga said the RLA must calculate per month average unit consumption of the vendor at the Sector 42 office and then charge them the same amount for Sector 17 and Industrial Area offices.