BHUBANESWAR: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has found holes in Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZMP) and flaws in implementation of its components leading to wastage of funds worth crores of rupees in Odisha.
The CAG covered activities of State Coastal Zone Management Authorities of nine States including Odisha from 2015 to 2020. It also reviewed the implementation of ICZM projects in the State in its report on ‘Conservation of Coastal Eco-systems.’
It revealed that a research laboratory was established at Dangmal in November 2016 under ICZMP at a cost of Rs 32.78 lakh to facilitate rescue and treatment of injured wild animals, analysis of viscera of dead wild animals and pathological/microscopic studies in Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary. However, the laboratory remained defunct since beginning.
To promote livelihood through eco-tourism in Chilika and Bhitarkanika, seven transit boats, four luxury boats and three catamaran boats were purchased between in 2014 by Wildlife Division of Chilika, Forest Division of Rajnagar and Forest Division of Berhampur at a cost of Rs 7.95 crore.
The audit found that the seven transit boats purchased by Chilika Wildlife division were operated for only 11 months, while the three catamaran purchased by Berhampur division were transferred to Rajanagar Forest Division in February 2016 after lying idle for almost two years. The boats, however, were operated only till September 2017.
The CAG said the ICZM plan was to be prepared for selected coastal stretches of Odisha within two years. However, it was prepared only in 2018. Besides, the ICZM plan of the State is yet to be accorded the formal approval by the MoEF&CC, it stated.
To address problem of invasive weed in Chilika eco-system, a multipurpose Amphibian Weed Harvester (AWH) was procured in December 2018 under ICZMP at a cost of Rs 2.14 crore.The machine was handed over to CDA at Ansupa lake instead of the research centre at Chilika Lake. Deployment of the machine at Ansupa Lake was more than at Chilika where the weed infestation was major.
Similarly, 10 Water Quality Monitoring Buoy System (WQMBS) and 12 multi-parameter Water Quality Monitoring System with sensors and one Control Centre Data reception were purchased at a cost of Rs 2.69 crore and installed at 10 different locations in Chilika in 2012. On scrutiny, it was found that within one and half years, six out of 10 WQMBS were stolen and four remained in operation as of June 2018.
The Odisha State Pollution Control Board established a Centre for Management of Coastal Ecosystems in 2010 to analyse the sources, levels and pathways of various pollutants in the Paradip-Dhamra coastal stretch. A total 19 laboratory equipment were procured for this purpose at Rs 2.76 crore between 2013 and 2015.
However, the centre which was supposed to collect water and soil samples and assess the coastal water quality parameters failed in carrying out these activity effectively between 2015-20 defeating its objective of addressing coastal pollution in the region.
Funds gone waste
Research lab at Dangmal set up at a cost of Rs 32.78L defunct
11 boats, 3 catamarans at Rs 7.95 cr idle for 2 years
Amphibian Weed Harvester of Rs 2.14 cr not in Chilika
10 Water Quality Monitoring Buoy System stolen