Time to wind up DGQA Organisation- Parwinder Sandhu :Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Time to wind up DGQA Organisation?
Parwinder Sandhu Pune.In yet another blow to the Indian Army’s
image, the CBI has arrested three persons — including a retired
Army officer in the Pune-based Director General of Quality Assurance
— for their alleged role in the approval of sub-standard anti-skid
chains worth Rs 1.56 crore supplied to the Indian Army.The anti-skid
chains were supplied to the Army between 2006 and 2009 by one Sunil
Sharma, owner of Pune-based firm Sharma Enterprises. The officers
who have been arrested include deputy director general
(administration), New Delhi AJ Pawar, joint controller of quality
assurance (heavy vehicles), Avadi Chennai A Prabhakaran and former
group officer, vehicle quality assurance wing, Pune Fayazoddin. Both
Pawar and Prabhakaran had been summoned by the CBI for an enquiry
in Pune and subsequently arrested. Meanwhile, the third accused is
already based in the city. Superintendent of Police (CBI anti
corruption branch) Vidya Kulkarni said the tenders for the supply of
chains had been invited by the Directorate General of ordnance supply,
Ministry of Defence, New Delhi.According to Kulkarni, the three
arrested accused allegedly misused their official positions, causing
undue favor to the supplier by clearing the substandard material.
The supply of the substandard chains would have jeopardized the
operational capacity of the Indian Army in the battlefield. Apart
from operational hazards because of the chains, it also caused a loss
of Rs 1.56 crore to the Government. She stated that almost all the
supplies of the chains have been frozen by the Army authorities and
MoD. A Press release issued by the CBI states that the chains are
mounted on the tires of vehicles of the Indian Army in snow bound
high altitude areas as an anti-skid device. It is treated as a critical
item for operational purposes and any failure in performance of
these chains could result in loss of human life and precious
consignments of the Army. The Army internal audit report had
confirmed that the 5542 chains supplied were of sub-standard quality,
Kulkarni said. The chains did not even have the prescribed weight.
The quality of chains would now be independently checked by IIT
Powai. Eight chains selected randomly have been sent to the IIT.
Report on the quality of the chains would be submitted by the IIT
later this month.Incidentally, the Pune-based firm supplying the
chains has also been involved in the supply of sub-standard
mudguards worth Rs 5.49 crore to the Indian Army. As many as
4304 low quality mudguards have been supplied to the Army between
2005 and 2007 for the BMP infantry combat vehicles. Sub-standard
equipment for the Armed ForcesConfidence in Defence equipment is
created and generated through quality assurance by DGQA
Organisation DGQA
Comment: The Armed Forces Confidence Level of DGQA
Organisation is a big ZERO.Where are we heading to?

Veteran Prabhjot Singh Chhatwal PLS Retd.
Mob.098554-09128,Tele-fax 0175-5000896.