Rs. 3 b fraud alleged in North Central Province RDA

The Coalition against Corruption (CAC) yesterday revealed an alleged Rs. 3 billion has been swindled during the road constructions and developments by the North Central Province Road Development Authority prior to the 2012 Deyata Kirula exhibition.

Coalition against Corruption has appealed to the North Central Province, Chief Minister S. M. Ranjith and the General Manager of North Central Province Road Development Authority to conduct an immediate enquiry on this and take legal action against the culprits.

This fraud took place during the development of roads extending up to about 410km belonging to the North Central Province Road Development Authority. More than 30 roads were developed before the Deyata Kirula Exhibition. Convener of the alliance Mudhitha Katunamuni said that the contracts had been awarded to political henchmen and companies operated by the politicians themselves without following the tender procedures and millions of rupees had been misappropriated and not accounted for.

He alleged that though 60 companies had registered with the authority to undertake road development projects, all contracts had been awarded to only seven contractors.

The total amount of money allocated for the development of North Central Province roads during 2008 - 2012 was Rs. 7.5 billion. It included Rs. 2.5 billion from the North Central Province Fund, Rs. 1.5 billion from JAICA and Rs. 3.5 billion from the Asian Development Bank.

The quality and standards of the roads completed had not been subjected to tests prior to making payments to the contractors, though it is required that at least 200 laboratory tests be conducted before the roads are approved for use, the Alliance member alleged.

Joseph Stalin member of the coalition alleged development and repairing of flood affected roads in the North Central Province were also allocated to these six friendly companies of top officials.

Rs. 3 b fraud...

 He requests the NCP high officials to not to make payments without inspecting the final standard of the roads. Estimated cost is Rs. 14 billion.

Priyantha Fernando, another member of the Alliance and a member of the Citizen Committee of Anuradhapura said that the residents of the North Central Province were grappling with a life and death situation and at least 20,000 people were reported to be suffering from kidney diseases, but most of the clinics and hospitals in the province did not have equipment and the required drugs to treat the kidney patients.