CAG raps Hry govt for not installing outdoor surveillance

National auditor CAG has rapped Haryana government for "non-implementation" of an outdoor surveillance system, approved by the Centre for maintenance of law and order and crime control in the state.
Besides, it found, Rs 5 crore meant for procuring mobile jammers and CCTV cameras for four highly-sensitive jails in the state was lying unutilised for more than six years.
In its latest report on non-public sector undertakings for 2014-15, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India said, "Non-implementation of outdoor surveillance system, a crucial and vital project for maintenance of law and order and crime control, resulted in blockade of funds amounting to Rs 8.24 crore for more than four years."

The Centre approved the outdoor surveillance system under a scheme for modernisation of State Police Forces in 2008-09 for Panchkula district of Haryana. The project was later extended to three other districts -- Rohtak, Karnal and Panipat -- during financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11.
A sum of Rs 8.26 crore was sanctioned for this project through Haryana State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (HARTRON) and money was deposited with it on the basis of a request for proposal.
A purchase order was placed with M/s VMC System Ltd. Secunderabad for Rs 7.75 crore by HARTRON in February 2011.

As per agreement, the company was required to complete the installation, commissioning and integration of the system at all the sites within three months from the date of award of contract in February 2011, said the report.

Final acceptance test was to be conducted within four months from the date of award of contract. As such, the project was to be operationalised by June 2011.
Scrutiny of records of Director General of Police (DGP), Haryana showed that the firm delivered the equipment at the four sites after a delay of six months, CAG said.
Physical inspection by a committee in May, 2012 which showed that the company delivered only eight equipment against 20 at each site, of which only six were found to be as per specification of the purchase order, and accuracy rate of the software was found to be only 32 per cent.

The purchase order placed with the company was terminated
by HARTRON in June 2014. The earnest money amounting to Rs 2 lakh along with performance bank guarantee of Rs 77.50 lakh was forfeited by HARTRON and an amount of Rs 8.91 crore had been refunded by HARTRON to the DGP in January 2015 after deducting an amount of Rs 14.48 lakh out of total amount of Rs 9.05 crore.
The amount was lying with the DGP's office and was not refunded to GOI.
Thus, due to lackadaisical approach of the department, the outdoor surveillance system, which was to be operationalised by June 2011, has not been procured even after a period of more than four years from the target date of completion, CAG noted.

On being pointed out, the DGP stated in June 2015 that due to refusal of HARTRON to go ahead for re-tendering of the surveillance system, Electronics Corporation of India Limited has been approached for submitting a concept note in order to establish the desired specification for the system and rough cost estimate and the matter is still under process.
The report also said mobile jammers for jails could not be procured and Rs 5 crore remained unutilised for more than six years due to "indecisiveness" of the jail department.
To improve security infrastructure of various jails, Haryana government had sanctioned Rs 5 crore for installation of mobile jammers and CCTV surveillance in four jails in Sonipat, Jhajjar, Palwal and Rewari.