PAC slams Defence Ministry, Maharashtra govt for Adarsh scam

NEW DELHI: A Parliamentary panel has rapped the Defence ministry and the Maharashtra government for "monumental failure" at all levels of governance with certain officials abusing their position leading to the Adarsh Housing Society scam.

The Public Accounts Committee ( PAC) in its draft report on the Adarsh scam has said a group of select officials holding key posts subverted rules and regulations as also facts and took the ruse of welfare of servicemen, war widows and children.

"The Committee's scrutiny corroborated the irregularities in the entire process right from the allocation of land to the society, obtaining 'no objection certificate' (NoC) from the Army, extension of various consessions by the Government of Maharasthra, getting NoC from BEST for transfer of developmental rights of the adjoining land, obtaining clearances for residential development in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) by certain officials who abused their official position for personel gain," says the report.

The report says when the Defence Ministry was asked how NoC was given to the society, it was informed that it was issued by the defence authorities "because of mismanagement of Defence land, poor record keeping and lack of mutation of land already in possession of the Armed Forces."

Regarding security concerns, the PAC found that these were ignored while constructing the 31-storey building in Colaba area.

While asking the government to ensure that such incidents are not repeated, the PAC refrained from making "further comments as the matter is still subjudice with respect to the title of the land and other concerned issues."