ROURKELA: Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) of SAIL has come under the scanner again for its failure to prevent organised pilferage of expensive materials from its plant here. In the latest such incident, a multi-axle truck was seized by the CISF for carrying excess cargo of pig iron. CISF sources said the vehicle belonging to a private firm was weighed as per norms but was intercepted while leaving the plant.
It was later found that the vehicle was carrying 6.220 tonne of excess pig iron valued at more than `1.79 lakh. The truck was handed over to Tangarpali police and its driver and the supervisor of the firm, Bajrang Traders, were arrested and forwarded to court.
Rourkela SP Uma Shankar Dash said the matter is being probed by Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Panposh and added that police are in touch with RSP authorities to ascertain the identity of those involved in the irregularity. Dash said this is not an isolated case and it is possible that an organised racket might be involved.
Police’s suspicion of organised theft from RSP is not unfounded as earlier concerns were raised by Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and Adidtional Chief Vigilance Officer of the steel plant over theft of expensive materials and products. Oram on March 24, 2017 had written to his counterpart in the Steel Ministry Chaudhary Birendra Singh seeking inquiry into several allegations of irregularities involving senior officials.