E-Paper
No. plate vendor misusing RLA facilities
In a violation of agreement, the vendor entrusted with the contract to install high security registration plates continues to use power and other utility services at the expense of Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA) at its head office in Sector 17.
In a violation of agreement, the vendor entrusted with the contract to install high security registration plates continues to use power and other utility services at the expense of Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA) at its head office in Sector 17.
This has been continuing since February 26 last year with the authorities failing to push the vendor to work to work using his own infrastructure, as mandated in the agreement.
The agreement signed between the vendor, Real Mazon India Ltd, and the administration on December 26, 2012, says that RLA is responsible only for providing space to the vendor as charges of the utilities, including electricity and water, have to be borne on actual basis by the vendor, and, for this purpose, the firm even has to get sub-meters installed.
The accountant general (audit) had first raised the objections in September last year about vendor using the utilities at the cost of the public exchequer without putting up its own infrastructure and also directed the Registering and Licensing Authority to take necessary steps.
In February, HT Chandigarh had highlighted this matter following which the vendor started constructing a small kiosk within the RLA office with electricity meters. However, till date it has not not shifted to the facility.
City-based advocate-activist Ajay Jagga said that being the supervisory body, RLA officials should be held responsible.
“The matter points towards casualness of the RLA authorities who have even ignored the audit objections. These are serious lapses,” he alleged.
Sources said that the vendor had installed electric sub-meters at the RLA sub-office in Sector 42 and the Industrial Area but it has yet not been issued the recovery notice of the electricity charges it consumed since beginning operations in these places.
HT tried to meet RLA incharge Kashish Mittal in his office and also called several times, he did not respond.
A RLA official claimed that the vendor had been asked to shift to the newly-constructed kiosks in Sector 17 at the earliest.
Sources added that the RLA was yet to recover a penalty amounting to Rs 60,000, pending on account of delay in commencement of its operation in Chandigarh.
In September 2013, the office of director general of audit (central), Chandigarh, had checked the records of the Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA) and directed it to recover the amount as the vendor started operations three days late from its original deadline.
