Thiruvananthapuram: The report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday has revealed many irregularities committed by Jacob Thomas, during his tenure as the director of ports from 2009 to 2014. They include the construction of the department's headquarters in Valiyathura here. The report points out that Mr Thomas had failed to get the sanction from the city corporation for the building and as a result, the department had to pay an additional Rs 2.4 crore as the tax. Mr Thomas is the director of Institute of Management in Government (IMG) now.
The report says the building constructed spending Rs 1.93 crore is in a 'deteriorating' condition now and the director had failed to assess the quality of the construction. The selection of the site for the directorate was without conducting a proper feasibility study. The director had awarded the work of landscaping and gardening in front of the building. Kerala Police Housing Construction Corporation which did the work at the cost of Rs 8.30 lakh had asked for making arrangement for the maintenance and nurturing of plants. However, the director did not make any provision for the same. The landscaped garden named Nakshatra Vanam has now perished.
The CAG has also found irregularities in the renovation of the signal station in Kodungalloor in Thrissur. The renovation contract of the signal station was given to KITCO for Rs 56.21 lakh and later increased to Rs 57.97 lakh. But KITCO constructed a conference hall instead. The department accorded administrative sanction for Rs 35-lakh solar power systems at four port offices - in Valiyathura, Vizhinjam, Azhikkal and Beypore. The fund was instead utilised for installing an off-grid solar power system, which amounted to unauthorised expenditure. Also, a 10kW off-grid solar power system was installed at the directorate at the cost of Rs 12.12 lakh.
Kerala Public Expenditure and Review Committee (KPERC), in October last year, had found that Mr Thomas had made irregularities while installing solar panels, thereby bringing losses to the exchequer. Responding to the report, he said each report against him had an ulterior motive. Passing the buck, he said those who appointed him to head ports, when had no knowledge in the field, during the Achuthanandan government, should answer the allegations.
