Govt. in the midst of another controversy

By Our Principal Correspondent

RAIPUR, JULY 22. The Chhatisgarh Government appears to have got involved in another controversy with the Opposition accusing it of taking commission in the purchase of a helicopter for the State from a French company.

Addressing a press conference on the eve of the third Assembly session here today, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA, Mr. Brij Mohan Aggarwal, said that a commission of 30 to 40 per cent was taken in striking the deal with the French company for the purchase of the chopper. He said as much as Rs. five to six crores have been paid for fixing the deal.

``It is well known that France pays the highest amount of commission for purchase of aircraft followed by Russia though the best aircraft are manufactured in the United States,'' he pointed out.

The suspicion is strengthened by the fact that two bureaucrats, in the ranks of under secretary, undertook technical examination of the helicopter instead of a pilot or an engineer who are qualified people, he said. Significantly, the two officers are very close to the Chief Minister, he alleged.

Besides, the two were accompanied by a third person but the Government was maintaining silence regarding his role. Demanding an enquiry into the deal either by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a sitting judge of the High Court, Mr. Aggarwal said he would reveal the identity of the third person and other facts connected with the deal before the enquiry commission. Mr. Aggarwal also accused the State Government of showing favour to a particular company for maintenance of the State aeroplane though the Government has to pay more money to this company as compared to the lowest bidder. Five companies had filed tenders for maintenance of the aircraft and two fulfilled the eligibility criteria.

The lowest bidder was willing to provide four pilots and maintain the aeroplane for Rs. 34 lakhs which was 20 per cent less than what had been paid by the Madhya Pradesh Government in the past five years. However, the contract was given to a company which only manufactures spare parts for aeroplanes. Mr. Aggarwal said that the State Government should order a probe into both the deals to remove element of suspicion surrounding these.

Regarding free distribution of fodder to some animal welfare organisations in Maharashtra, Mr. Aggarwal said the fodder never went out from the State but was sold in the local markets. If the stock had been sent out from the State, there should be an entry at the check-posts which should be made public. ``If there was drought and shortage of food for the people, how come the animals had enough fodder to eat and there was demand for food for the animals here? ''

Mr. Aggarwal said the three NGOs who were reportedly given thousands of tonnes of fodder in Maharashtra have got nothing to do with animal welfare.

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