‘Fraud’ in installation of septic tanks: High Court reprimands Punjab govt

Taking the Punjab government to task, the Chief Justice decided to hand over the case to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). However, after repeated requests made by the Punjab government counsel, the High Court relented. The case will now be probed by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau.

The ‘fraud’ came to light after two residents of Gurdaspur filed a public interest litigation (PIL) alleging that the project has been a total failure since a majority of the tanks were faulty.

Interestingly, an affidavit filed by a senior government officer pointed out that the failure in the case was 94 per cent. Surprisingly, after the petition was filed in the High Court, the same officer said the failure rate was only 18 per cent. Smelling foul in the case, the High Court appointed a committee which gave the finding that 67 per cent of the septic tanks were faulty in the state.

“The entire project of Rs 65 crore has gone to dogs. Not a single village has been benefitted from this project. How can the system accept such a situation? Have your officers ordered any inquiry? Your secretary and officers should be put in the dock. This is a case of patent fraud on the state exchequer,” the Bench said.

According to the report filed by the Court committee, septic tanks have failed in three districts. While in Gurdaspur, the installation of tanks has been 100 per cent failure; in Jalandhar, the failure is 67 per cent in eight villages and over 20 per cent in Ludhiana.

“Somebody has handed over faulty tanks worth Rs 7 crore and run away,” remarked an angry Chief Justice.

Taking strong exception to the inaction on the part of the Punjab government, the Chief Justice observed: “All those persons, right from supplier, contractor to officers, found guilty of misconduct needed to be booked and put behind bars.”

The counsel for Punjab government requested the High Court to allow the state agencies to investigate the case. “We don’t want to trust any state agency that is sleeping over this. You don’t have money for development but you have money on faulty tanks and allowing thieves to run away. You had two years to take action but you didn’t take any action. It is a daylight robbery. If there is a case of public interest where High Court’s intervention is required, then this is the one,” the Chief Justice observed.

The DIG of CBI was directed to appear in the Court within an hour. The DIG appeared and was apprised of the case. But when the counsel for Punjab government assured fair investigation by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau, the High Court did not hand over the case to the CBI.

However, the Court has made it clear that if the Punjab Vigilance drags its feet then the case will be handed over to the CBI at any stage.