BJP alleges 'huge scam' by Delhi govt in medical equip deals

According to an "internal" CAG report, government flouted "all laid down norms" in procurement of the equipment and bought them much above the market rates while beds and equipment at some designated hospitals were supplied only after the event got over, said BJP leader Vijender Gupta.

Quoting from the report, Gupta said 64 beds were to be arranged in separate wards for the Games before September 3, 2010 in these hospitals, which were not supplied before the event and false work completion certificates were issued by the authorities. These beds were arranged only after November, 2010.

Criticising the government for lack of efficiency, the interim report, Gupta claimed, mentioned that the concerned authorities could only spend Rs 15.44 crore for enhancing health services out of total allocation of Rs 41.53 crore. The report said although the tender process for procurement of the items was to be started in November, 2009, the process began only in May, 2010 leaving too little time for the authorities to go for an open procedure and resulting in serious irregularities and lapses in the procedure.

Holding Chief Minister responsible for the "scam", Gupta demanded her immediate resignation and action against the concerned minister and officials. The report also mentioned that 68 ice making machines were bought from a firm called M/s Dolcha India at inflated rates causing a loss of Rs 22.64 lakh, claimed Gupta.

The BJP leader alleged that equipment were procured without verifying the actual requirement and a comparison of quantity so assessed with quantity actually procured revealed "huge deviation from assessed quantity ranging from nine to 300 per cent.

Giving an example of "unfruitful expenditure", Gupta said a CT scan machine costing Rs 3.06 crore was not installed till December. "All these findings vindicated our earlier claim that there was a huge scam in the entire exercise of improving health facilities ahead of the CWG by the Delhi Government," Gupta said.

Gupta alleged that medical instruments worth Rs 3.90 crore were purchased only to "earn commission" as they were not at all required for the Games.