Press Trust Of India / New Delhi Jul 23, 2009, 01:18 IST
Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan today attacked the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) for its report on the transport system, saying the government auditor’s job is to find fault but it has no responsibility to deliver.
“They (CAG) have no responsibility to deliver...Their job is to find fault,” Sreedharan told reporters when asked about the CAG report which remarked that Delhi Metro has diluted testing standards in its projects. “It has been uncharitable in its remarks. We have worked very hard and what is important is results,” he said.
He alleged that DMRC’s version was not taken into account while finalising the report, though it had submitted a detailed reply to the Auditor’s queries. “They sent us queries and took our reply. But the report does not reflect our replies,” he said, adding the report was about the Phase-I of Delhi Metro.
Questioning CAG’s finding that Metro acquired more land, he said, “Is the CAG questioning the mandate of the government? They gave us permission to commercially exploit land to raise funds. We were allotted land and if we managed to save some land, it was by sheer engineering skills.”
He also said that Metro was allotted 65 hectares for Shastri Park Depot and due to their prudent planning, they could save land on which Delhi’s first IT Park is functioning.
Sreedharan also disputed CAG’s remark that Metro was not accountable to government, saying it was under Delhi and Central governments and their members are on its Board of Directors.
Attack is the best form of defence and Sreedharan specialises in it. If he was genuinely sincere about taking responsibility he should have gone ahead and walked out of his office and not accepted the government's request to reconsider.
C&AG should be investigated for making dodgy allegations.Its role in making allegations about power projects in South India needs to be carefully scrutinised.
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