& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Gas Pipeline Scam

JS body shocked at low quality job

Star Report
Members of the parliamentary standing committee on energy ministry while visiting two gas pipeline projects around Savar Wednesday expressed their shock at the visible low quality construction works that pose hazard to public safely.
"We have heard and read in newspapers allegations of corruption and irregularities in these projects," said Shahidul Islam, chairman of tire committee. "But we really did not expect to see such poor quality of construction. It is deepen corruption and irregularities and we will visit the projects again in a couple of days."
Although the committee members made prior-announcement of
their visit, the contractors concerned failed to impress them despite all preparations to project a better viewof their work
The Daily Star last pionth reported that Titas and Pctrobangla officials along with these contractors were siphoning off Tk 30 crore from the over-estimated Bangabandhu Bridge Approach Road Gas Pipeline Project (BBARGP). The report also questioned the role of State Minister fort Energy Mosharraf Hossain for his inaction on an investigation report clearly accusing officials involved in corruption.
The visitors, who included five parliamentarians, chairman of Pctrobangla, managing director (MD) and general manager (GM) of Planning Division of Titas Gas company, found pipes installed half a metre below the surface where these were supposed to be placed 2.5 metres below.
Again, at many places, the contractors dumped several feet of soil over the pipes laid just below the surface of the ground to meet this criterion. The flawed design of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited (TGTDCL) itself gave scope for contractors to resort to such evil practice.
Contractors even did not maintain a one-foot distance between two parallel pipes at some points, observed the parliamentarians, who included Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bokul and llliasAli.
There is no evidence of mechanical construction although Titas 'filtered out' many contractors on the grounds that the whole work should be done mechanically. Mechanical construction also 'justified' Titas' doubling of the project cost to Tk 60 crore.
On seeing the construction works Petrobangla Chairman SR Osmani could not help questioning how Titas could approve such risky design.
Meanwhile, a Petrobangla investigation committee submitted its report two days ago stating that the pipeline construction poses serious safety problems. It found fault with the project design, cost assessment as well as field inspectors and contractors and recommended ensuring that the contractors undertake remedial measures at their own expense.
The report stated the energy ministry refused to give the committee another investigation report filed a year before on the ground that it was'classified'.
Pressed by the parliamentary standing committee and because of The Daily Star reports on the issue, Petrobangla and Titas also issued show cause notices against 14 high officials asking them to explain why departmental action would not be taken against them.
The officials are SM Anwaruzzaman, former MD of Titas and now GM of Petrobangla, MA Baset, former MD of Titas and currently MD of BAPEX, Shafiqur Rahman, deputy general manager (DGM), Petrobangla, Rana Akbar Haidary, deputy manager (planning), Titas, Abdur Rois Syddique, GM of Gas Transmission Company Ltd, Mahbubur Rahman, GM (planning), Titas, Amir Ahmed, former DGM of pipeline construction department of Titas, Kaosar Azizur Rahman, GM, marketing, Titas, Manjur Morshed Talukdar, MD of GTCL, Khurshid Hasan, GM, Service, Titas, Obaydullah, GM, LPR, Titas, Jalaluddin Bhuyan, secretary, Titas,
AQM Selim, GM (administration), Titas, and Mukhlesur Rahman, former GM,,Titas.
However, the name of one Petrobangla director, who was serving as MD of Titas when the project was conceived in '98-'99 -has been dropped for mysterious reasons. Sources said the director is close to the state minister.
The Daily Star last month reported that corrupt officials dou-
bled the project cost to Tk 60 crore and contractors began construction of the 109-km pipeline from Joydevpur to Mirpur Bridge and another 101-km pipeline from Kaliakoir to Garai Industrial area from October.
Although the contract was officially given to two companies, in reality nine companies are sharing the tasks and 'spoils', insiders said. Profit shares are also allegedly going to a certain bhaban to ensure political backing in favour of the corrupt officials.
Late in 2002, when the project's tenders were being awarded to two companies, the then energy secretary smelt a rat in the deal and conducted an investigation. Although the investigation found massive irregularities and recommended scrapping of the deal, state minister Mosharraf Hossain did not allow re-tendering or any action against the officials involved.
When the parliamentary standing committee at a meeting a couple of weeks ago proposed all the committee members make spot visits to see the pipeline project, Mosharraf Hossain refused to be a party to it. He is also a member of this committee.