A report tabled by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in both Houses of Parliament today noted that the CPCB was authorised to implement the Eco-City Programme in six historically important cities including Kottayam, Puri, Thanjavur, Tirupati, Ujjain and Vrindavan and audit scrutiny of the projects "reveals startling irregularities" in various stages of its implementation.
The Committee, headed by Murli Manohar Joshi, pulled up the Environment Ministry for serious deficiencies and inadequacies in the implementation of various green programmes while expressing concern over the indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources.
The panel has expressed shock over the loot of public money in the name of afforestation and pulled up the Centre for not taking action against the guilty.
On Eco-City Programme, it said irregularities were found in the stages of approvals, release of installments in violation of prescribed financial procedure, release of funds even when there were reports of unsatisfactory implementation, non-implementation of the scheme where the municipality was unable to provide matching fund of 50 per cent etc.
"The committee therefore urges the government to ascertain the reasons for such a slackness on the part of CPCB and also to revisit the Eco-city Programme for effective and speedy implementation and to apprise them in due course," the panel said.
The project was conceptualized by the CPCB to bringg environmental improvement in select cities during the 10th five year plan period- 2002-07. Twelve cities of historical importance were selected but the programme was initiated in six cities only. PTI TGB
