New Delhi: In an apparent breach of security norms of the Parliament, a contractor - who has also been blacklisted by Parliament security - was caught by security personnel while he was attempting to decamp with Lok Sabha and other committee reports without properly destroying them.
According to sources, a few months ago, Parliament security personnel, Ghan Shyam Dutt Bhardwaj informed his additional director, security, AK Sahu, that some gunny bags containing brand new printed debate and committee reports of Lok Sabha Secretariat were being loaded in a truck by the contractor. A copy of this letter is with MiD DAY.
"We found that the contractor was removing some gunny bags (12 in number) from the truck and shifting them to the waste paper store of D-branch. Then 18 more bags of debates and various committee reports were found among bulk gunny bags containing actual waste papers. A total of 30 gunny bags in good condition were unloaded," sources said.
All this activity was captured on camera by a security personnel. MiD DAY has a copy of the CD. Even though initially it was being done in the absence of security officers of Parliament security, later senior officers reached the spot after Bhardwaj alerted them and stayed at the spot until all the papers were unloaded from the truck and shredded.
"We had to make sure that all the papers were destroyed properly before loading in the truck from the waste store. As per rule no paper can go outside Parliament without shredding and the contractor hired is told this in his agreement. However, this contractor tried to violate the norm and the complaint was forwarded to senior officers," the sources said.
The contractor has been identified as SK Mishra. Sources said that he was blacklisted by the central government after discussing it with Parliament administration after a lot of negative reports had come out against him. However, he still continues allegedly because of influence of some official. In fact, intimation about the same was given to undersecretaries of both the Houses. "This time also he was let off after a warning and undertaking that he wouldn't do such a thing again," sources added.
According to reports, on the day when the matter came to light the security officers who reached the spot made sure that all the papers were destroyed in their presence. Security officers had recorded the statements of contractor SK Mishra, labourers and driver employed by the contractor and submitted it to senior officials. A copy of it was also sent to the joint director (security).
The contractor, SK Mishra wrote an apology letter to AK Sahu, additional director, Parliament security accepting his temerity in managing the labour. "When I reached on the spot I found about 30 gunny bags full of uncrushed waste papers. Realising the mistake I ordered them to tear off all the waste paper, packed them and then reloaded them in the truck. I apologise on behalf of my employees," he said in the letter.
SK Mishra was blacklisted by undersecretary to the Government of India, Satish Kalhotra on March 4, 2010. The letter which was sent by Satish Kalhotra had clearly mentioned, "It is understood that SK Mishra of M/s Balaji traders has a contract of lifting of waste paper from parliament house/parliament annexe. Above any of the tenders awarded to the firm need to be cancelled immediately and efforts may be initiated to recover dues from him. Action taken in this regard may be intimated." This letter was sent to Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
As per the government rules, it is mandatory to crush the waste papers before taking them out of the Indian Parliament. It is one of the conditions which is put forth the applying contractor. However, if the contractor doesn't abide by it he is violating the norms. This is done because of the secrecy of the reports which are dealt with in the Indian Parliament. There are sometimes committee and other reports which are not to go out of the premises at any cost.
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