Swachh Bharat funds: Chandigarh MC official withdrew Rs 1 crore sans approval, says audit

Discrepancies have also been mentioned in the audit report in the records of Chandigarh MC’s accounts department.

The annual audit report of the Chandigarh municipal corporation has pointed out serious irregularities in the withdrawal of Rs 1 crore by the civic body’s medical officer, health, (MOH) Dr Parminder Singh Bhatti, from Swachh Bharat Mission funds without the approval of the local audit department.

The report, submitted last week, said withdrawal of funds for the mission without a pre-audit, the first step in the process of the audit, and requisite approvals were in contravention of Section 176(2) of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, as extended to the UT. (HT File)

The report, submitted last week, said withdrawal of funds for the mission without a pre-audit, the first step in the process of the audit, and requisite approvals were in contravention of Section 176(2) of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, as extended to the UT.

As the Swachh Bharat Mission in this case is the MC’s resident scheme, its funds can be withdrawn only after pre-audit and cleared by the audit wing. Bhatti withdrew the funds without any approvals.

Money was withdrawn in two instalments, Rs 1 lakh was taken out in February 2016 and Rs 1 crore withdrawn in one day in March 2016. Dr Bhatti transferred Rs 1 crore to the public health wing without getting the bill passed by the local audit department. He also withdrew Rs 1 lakh for his own travelling allowance, also a serious irregularity, the report said.

Dr Bhatti did not respond to repeated calls and WhatApp messages. When contacted, mayor Davesh Moudgil, however, said, “It is a serious irregularity and I will look into it.” The audit officer has asked Dr Bhatti why the funds were withdrawn and recommended that the competent authority to take action against him.

The audit report has also pointed to discrepancies in the log books of vehicles provided to the MOH office. A log book page certificate, mentioning details of average consumption of petrol or diesel by vehicles, had not been maintained.

Lists of controlling officers of the vehicles declared by the competent authority had also not been provided to auditors, log books were not being verified or signed by the controlling officers with dates and monthly fuel consumption details. Vehicle runs during the month were not being verified or signed off by the controlling officers.