CADD, CDA officials grilled over alleged corrupt practices

The Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) were grilled on Friday by a parliamentary committee over their failure to take timely steps to stop corrupt practices and irregularities worth multimillion rupees.
The sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee, which met here under the convenership of Member of National Assembly (MNA) Shahida Akhtar to review and discuss the matters pertaining to irregularities and corrupt practices in the CADD and CDA, was informed by the audit authorities that the irregularities amounting to Rs 253 million were detected in the CDA during 2013-14 audit.
The sub-committee was set up to look into the matters relating to less than Rs 50 million irregularities in the CDA, containing a total of 20 paras. While discussing the loss of Rs 29 million due to non-recovery on account of unauthorised occupation of additional land in Chak Shahzad by the land allottee, the panel endorsed the directives of the Departmental Audit Committee (DAC) and asked the CDA to retrieve additional land from the occupier.
On the issue of non-acceptance of lowest bid due to mismanagement which caused a loss of Rs 16 million to the CDA, the panel as per the decision of the DAC held on January 16, 2017 directed the civic body to provide requisite certificate to audit department if the CDA has not re-tendered and made no expenditures on improving parking road and draining system on the southern side of IJ Principal Road.
The committee directed Secretary CADD to initiate inquiry against the officials of CDA's directorate of roads (South Division) for awarding additional work to contractor which caused a loss of Rs 13.6 million to entity. Member Committee MNA Mohammad Arshad Khan Leghari and convenor committee reviewing the audit paras asked the Secretary Ministry of CADD to explain if the CDA can approve any project without approval of plan. Secretary CADD Nargis Ghalo stated that as per law, no work can be started without approval of a plan of any project.
The committee observed that the authority has made it a regular practice to initiate work without the approval of the plan and after completing the construction work, different CDA departments get approval of their plans, which shows that officials are involved in corrupt practices. The members asked the Secretary CADD to start immediate inquiries into all such projects which were completed without the approval of plan and approval was got later. It further directed the authorities to take serious action against all officials involved in violation of set rules and regulations.