Mar 13, 20217 min read

Electrical works & SAIIER Scam: Auroville

Updated: Mar 19, 2021

Auroville Economic Offences:

Infrastructure Electrical works by AVES 2017-18 from GOI

1. Grant of Rs.1,41,65,326-00 was disbursed during the financial year to AVES by GOI Grant Group.

2. Improper planning and execution of works.

TDC issued approval for purchase of of HT Cables on 31.12.2016 for its use in Admin Area. However, the purchased cables, to the extent of 1500 mts could not be used till date, for non issue of Work Order by the TDC.

Observation:

The improper planning and purchase of cables has resulted in dead investment of about Rs.23-76 lakhs. TDC and AVES may clarify why the cables could not be laid till date ?. Further, what precautions have been taken for the safe custody of the Cables. What is the present status of these Cables.

3. Admin Area-HT Electrical Room.

For Admin area HT Electrical Rom work the Architect fees of Rs.35,045/- @ 5% of the estimate was approved. However, final amount paid to the Architect was Rs.58,217/-.

Observation:

The excess payment to the Architct needs to clarified. Further, as per General Financial Rules only 3% is allowed as Architect Fees.

4. Maduca TNEB Charges.

The following amounts have been shown as disbursed towards Maduca TNEB charges:

2015-16……….RS.1,35,999-00

2016-17………..Rs.3,61,874-00

Perusal of the records shows that it is EMD amount paid for additional load consumed by the Maduca Community.

Observation:

It is highly irregular to book the above expenditure under Capital Grant. The total amount of Rs.4,97,873-00 needs to be refunded to Auroville Foundation/ GOI.

5.Meetering work.

For Maduca Residential Zone a total sum of Rs.16.57,983-00 was spent for installation of sub meters.

Since it is a Residential Zone the total cost should be borned by the residents. Booking of such expenses under GOI is highly irregular.

6.Purchase of high value items without following GFR Rules.

It is noticed that LT Panels and other high value items are purchased without calling Tenders.

7. LT Improvement works.

The expenditure incurred on LT Improvement work in 2017-18 are as follows:

i) LT Improvement work-Aurodam …..Rs.30,67,901-00

ii) do -Center Field Rs.17,27,961-00

iii) do -Kinder Garden Rs. 7,47,052-00

iv) do -Savitri Bhavan Rs.17,30,801-00

v) do -Sincerity Rs.12,22,168-00

vi) do -Surrender Rs. 89,737-00

Total 85,85,620-00

Observation:

The above expenditure should have been covered under City Service Budget and not from GOI Grant.

It is not clear whether the above works were approved by the Foundation/ Governing Board.

8. Completion certificates are not issued by a qualified Engineer, after completion of the project.

9. For each projects estimates are prepared by AVES, the works are executed by AVES only/ bills are also raised by them without indicating the actual measurement of the works executed.

Observation:

In the absence of certification of work by an qualified Electrical Engineer, the expenditure incurred could not be justified.

10. It was noticed that in respect of the following works the unspent balances are lying since 31.3.2017:

I) Admin area-100 KVAR APEC Panel……Rs.9,646-00

II) Admin area-3 lineup VCB Panel Rs.6,091-00

III) Admin area reactor panel bank Rs.95,943-00

The unspent amount should be refunded to Foundation.

11. It is noticed that the GOI Grant Group is not exercicing due diligence while disbursement of grants to the projects.

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II Infrastructure Road works.

1. Wasteful expenditure of Rs.1,32,325-00

For laying Earth Poured Concrete from Courage to Solar Kitchen the following expenditure were incurred:-

i) For Survey by AVSM Survey and Mapping a unit of Auroville Rs.36,000/-. The work was carried out by Julio an aurovillian.

ii) To Earth Institute for study on the above road Rs.51,325-00

iii) To Pondicherry Engineering College for verifying and certifying the BOQ Rs.45,000/-

After spending the total amount of Rs.1,32,325-00 the Auroville Road Service was unable to lay the proposed road, as the land is not owned by Auroville.

Observation:

Auroville Road Service/ TDC/ GOI grant group may clarify the serious lapse and refund the total amount of Rs.1-32 lakhs to Government.

Further, the charges by AVSM & Earth Institute are exhorbitant and not as per GFR Rules.

2. Exhorbitant / wasteful expenditure incurred on Solar Kitchen Circle work.

It is noticed that the following expenditure are incurred over the years for work done on Solar Kitchen Circle:

Initial expenditure on the SK Circle. Rs.18,80,464-00

Extra work on the SK Circle. 6,86,973-00

Modification work on SK Circle. 84,008-00

26,51,445-00

Proposed further modification as

Advised by IIT, Chennai (not done) 1,14,760-00

Total 27,66,205-00

Observation:

Such wasteful expenses to be stopped immediately, any further expenditure on this work needs to be carried out with the specific approval of Auroville Foundation.

TDC/ Goi Grant Group to furnish clarification on the above.

3. Repaving and removing speed hump MM to VC.

The total expenditure incurred on the above stretch of work is Rs.46,55,863-00 is extremely high needs to be justified.

4. Cycle Path.

Rs.5/- lakhs has been spent on Cycle Path is also very high.

5. Crown Road and Radial Roads.

The GOI grant was originally sanctioned for laying Crown Road and Radial Roads. It is noticed that AVRS is not focusing on the development of Crown & Radial Roads rather spending annual grant more on upgrading already laid Roads.

Obserfation:

AVRS & TDC may clarify till date how many KMs of Crown & Radial Roads are laid and the expenditure incurred on the same.

6. Sewer project.

AVRS has spent a total sum of Rs.34-50 lakhs for laying the sewage line from Kalpana Housing project to Maitreye in order to collect the sewage water from all the residential communities to the treatment plant at Maitreye and then pump the recycled water back to the various residential communities for its use in Garden.

Observation:

The above expenditure to be supported by CityService Budget and not from GOI.

III Infrastructure VORTEX DEWATS

7. CSR RZ-Vortex.

On RZ-Vortex DEWATS System for Residential Zone the following amounts have been spent by CSR;-

i) 2016-17 Rs.20,77,508-00

ii) 2017-18 33,68,646-00

iii) 2018-19 30,07,000-00 (spent Rs.15-71 lakhs till 15.1.)

Total 84,53.154-00

Detailed approved bill of quantities are not available, only preliminary estimate approved by Bremen Overseas Research & Development Association , Bangalore for a sum of Rs.31,82,439-00 was available for the financial year 2017-18.

Observation:

As per the prevailing practice in Auroville i.e all the works are approved by PEC, it would be better to get the PEC approval for such works.

Further, for each financial year the detailed approved quantities with the expenditure incurred needs to be certified by the competent Technical Authority i.e PEC.

Consultancy Fees of Rs.0ne lakh has been paid to Gill Bully Cot, the works are executed as per the advise of Bremen Overseas Research & Development Association, the need for paying consultance fees of Rs.1/- lakhs needs to be justified.

Further, payment of such huge consultancy fees is not as per the GFR Rules. The above expenditure to be supported by CityService Budget and not from GOI.

SAIIER Scam:

SAIIER Construction

1) For the Financial year 2017-18 SAIIER had submitted Budget proposal as follows:

For Construction Rs.591-00 lakhs/ Grant received Rs.339.53 lakhs For Equipmetns Rs.40-00 lakhs / Grant received Rs.41.15 lakh

Observation:

a) During the verification it was noticed that there are variations in the proposal submitted and the actual projects executed. A total amount of Rs.91-63 lakhs was diverted for executing the works which were not originally proposed and approved by the Board. The details of which are as follows:-

Details of grant diverted on non approved projects:- a) Dehashakthi Sports covered play area Phase-1 Rs.16.75 lakhs. b) Do Phase-II- Rs.18.35 lakhs. c) Kuilapalayam Cultural Center Office Building Rs.16.74 lakhs. d) AV Sports Resource center-Toilet Block BuildingRs.10.29 lakhs. e) AV Tinkering Lab-Science Lab Building Rs.1.04 lakhs. f) Deepanam School ATB Hall Building Rs.0.94 thousand. g) Aranya Project Multipurpose Hall & Toilet Building. Rs.20.42 lakhs. h) Kindergarten School Parking Shed Building.Rs.7.10 lakhs

Execution of all the above projects, without the Administrative approval of the Governing Board is a highly irregular procedure. SAIIER to furnish clarification for diversion of funds and get the Boards ratification of the above expenditure.

Further, the above irregular diversion needs to be ratified by the Foundation & Governing Board.

This shows the lapse of effective Monitoring by GOI Group.

b) The Governing Board had approved a format for submission of Plan Grant proposals. This is not at all followed by any of the projects at present. The GOI Grant Group to clarify why this is not being followed.

c) Non-adherence of GFR 139.

As per GFR 139 open Tenders have to be called for the works costing Rs.5/-lakh and above. During the year SAIIER has executed several works ( about sixteen nos) without inviting the Tenders. Violation of GFR Rule brought to notice for regularizing.

d) Unity Pavilion Toilet Block.

SAIIER in its Budget proposal it has proposed to build this Toilet Block for Rs.7/- lakhs. However, the total cost approved by PEC was Rs.29,31,386/-

Any additional expenditure over and above the approved budget needs Foundation/ Boards ratification. To date request for ratification has not been made by SAIIER, it continues to incur expenditure. As of 31.03.2018 Rs.14,06,143/- has been incurred on this project.

Architect Fees of Rs.82,343/- were paid to Pierro Cicionesi without deducting the TDS

e) Auroville Library Extension.

PEC had approved the total cost of the work for Rs.27,80,930/-. However, an additional expense of Rs.3,96,498/- has been incurred without getting the prior approval of the Auroville Foundation. Justification for the additional expenses may be furnished.

f) Auroville Sports Resource Center-Toilet Complex

PEC had approved the total cost of the work for Rs.13,62,234/-. In this case, also there is an excess expenditure of Rs.74,252/- which needs to be ratified by the Foundation.

g) SAIIER Staff Quarters Phase-1.

PEC had approved the total cost of the project at Rs.94,17,836/-. Tenders have not invited to the work was awarded to Mahasaraswati Construction.

On the project, the additional expenditure incurred was Rs.14,34,521/-. Administrative & Financial approval was not obtained from Auroville Foundation to incur additional expenses which are highly irregular and a violation of the Rules provision.

h) SAIIER Staff Quarters Phase-II & Phase-III.

The cost of the projects are Rs.99,27,684/- & Rs.1,04,81,085/- respectively. For both, the projects Tenders are not invited and the contract was awarded to Auroville Construction units.

i) SAIIER Staff Quarters Prosperity Phase-I & Phase-II.

The cost of the projects are Rs.99,90,501/- & Rs.1,07,90,436/- respectively. In this case, also Tenders are not invited.

j) Steel used in construction. PEC had accorded approval of steelworks @Rs.71-30 for the Tata steel or JSW steel. However, in all the above construction the contractors have used Surya Dev steel costing Rs.37-50 to Rs.39-50 per kg in the construction of Staff Quarters-Prosperity by Nala Builders and by Mahasaraswati TMT and Surya Dev steel are used costing only Rs.34/- to Rs.37/- per KG.

It is not clear how PEC has approved the RA bills for steel @ Rs.71-30 per KG.

This issue needs to be further investigated by a Technical person and excess claim needs to be recovered.

k) Savitri Bhavan Picture Gallery.

Rs.9,15,620/- was paid to New Dawn Carpentry. A detailed bill for the work done was not available.

and many more are being compiled.

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