Sign In
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
Bhubanesar: The Government of Odisha has ordered a special audit in the alleged irregularities in the purchase and customisation of Mahindra Thar vehicles, which were bought for the state’s environment and forest department.
Even as 51 vehicles were purchased at the cost of Rs 7.1 crore for the department in November last year, what came in as a major shock was Rs 5 crore spending on customisation of these all-terrain vehicles, The Indian Express reported.
As per the notesheet of the state government, the Special Audit Team of the Accountant General, Odisha, will conduct the special audit of the office of the PCCF (Wildlife). The government has said that the matter would be probed.
During the audit, the assigned team will see whether a due course was made in the customisation of vehicles and whether consent was taken from the finance department. They will also check the necessity of installed items and also whether any third party was involved in the entire process.
As per an official, a total of 21 items were added to each of 51 vehicles with a total expenditure of Rs 5 crore. This was done to help forest officials conduct fast patrolling, surveillance and monitoring. The vehicles have also been customised for firefighting
“The decision to customise the vehicles was taken keeping in mind specific aspects like making them fit to run in the rugged and hostile terrains in the forests, so that intensive patrolling can be done. If any irregularities are found during the audit process, appropriate action will be taken,” said an official told The Indian Express.
These vehicles have been deployed across 22 wildlife divisions in Odisha. Of them, the highest of nine vehicles have been deployed in Similipal Tiger Reserve, where poaching remains a major threat.
