Clean Chit To Odisha Govt In ‘PPE Kit/Mask Scam’

Bhubaneswar: The Lokayukta on Friday gave a clean chit to the Odisha government in the alleged Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and mask scam in the state.

Petitioner and chairperson of the Odisha Vikash Parishad Sushant Padhi informed that the state Vigilance had found no irregularities in the purchase of PPE kits, masks and other equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

They will move the High Court in this matter, he added.

The state Vigilance had submitted its report to the Lokayukta on March 16 following which the anti-corruption ombudsman had set March 26 date for hearing in the case.

Padhi had alleged corruption in the procurement of masks, testing kits, Real-Time Polymerase, Chain Reaction (PCR) machines, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits, Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) machines, nebuliser by the government during the pandemic. He had claimed the involvement of IAS officers, Hemanta Sharma and Yamini Sarangi, in the corruption.

According to the allegation, Sarangi on April 6, 2020, issued a public notice seeking an open tender for the purchase of triple-layer face masks at Rs 10 per piece but the corporation on April 17, 2020, purchased 30 lakh face masks from one M/s Vishnu Disposable Pvt. Ltd., Tamilnadu at Rs 16 per piece in gross violation of the modalities for procurement. According to the complainant, Sharma was the chief architect of the said purchase.

The complainant also alleged that other essential pharmaceutical goods and critical care equipment were purchased at much higher rates by the officials.

The two IAS officers had appeared three times before the Lokayukta and denied the allegations of corruption and wrongful gain.

Sharma in his reply stated that the procurement of medical equipment was made in accordance with the price fixed by the Centre after due deliberation by the Emergency Procurement Committee and further approved by the Empowered Group of Ministers. The procurement was absolutely transparent with no preferential treatment to any supplier, he added

Sarangi also averred that all the procurements were made after approval by the Emergency Procurement Committee and Empowered Group of Ministers as well as by the state Cabinet.