Kochi: The Kalamassery Municipality spent public money to repair 3,216 “non-existing” streetlights, causing a loss of nearly Rs 10 lakh to the exchequer, according to the local audit report for the financial year ending March 2017. As per the audit report, there were only 8,648 streetlights — 4,914 tubelights, 2,443 CFL and 1,291 sodium vapour lamps. However, examination of payment bills to various contractors revealed the irregularity which showed payments were made with respect to 11,864 streetlights. A contract was earlier given by the municipality to repair streetlights for which the contractor charges Rs 410 for each tubelight, Rs 400 for CFL and Rs 949 for the sodium vapour lamps.
The major difference was found in the sodium vapour lamps with the municipality paying for repairing of a total of 3,423 lights while the audit could find only 1,291 lamps existed. To an Inquiry Notice, the municipality replied that the rest of the street lights were purchased as part a council decision on September 2015, but failed to submit the necessary documents. “It has been decided to freeze Rs 21.04 lakh towards maintenance expense till the documents are submitted,” the report said. Meanwhile, the audit report also came down heavily on the Left Democratic Front-led governing committee of Thrikkakara municipality, saying it failed to take measures to repair all four biogas plants which has stopped functioning in 2015.
“The waste issue has aggravated in places like Kakkanad Market and NGO Quarters among others. The maintenance contract with Biotech India ended in March 31, 2015. However, the municipality didn’t renew the contract despite a council decision in this regard nor entrusted a new contractor,” the report said. When contacted the municipal chairperson K.K. Neenu said the matter would be taken up at a special council to be convened shortly to discuss the local audit fund report. “We received the report only recently and will take suitable action as per the council decision,” she said.
