Dehradun: A major financial controversy has surfaced in Uttarakhand, with allegations that the state’s Jal Sansthan (Drinking Water Department) has recorded ₹2,660.27 crore worth of financial irregularities between 2016 and May 2025. The findings, obtained through RTI documents and audit observations, were made public by RTI activist and senior legal practitioner Vikesh Singh Negi during a press briefing held in Dehradun on Saturday.
Negi claimed that large-scale mismanagement, procedural violations, and deliberate suppression of financial scrutiny enabled a pattern of questionable expenditures, contract mismanagement, and unmonitored payouts over several years.
Years Without Mandatory Audit Raises Serious Questions
According to the records accessed under RTI, the organisation failed to conduct mandatory statutory audits during 2017–18 and 2018–19, in violation of corporate governance norms and government regulations.
The irregularities flagged in audit findings year-wise are as follows:
| Financial Year | Recorded Irregularities (₹ crore) |
|---|---|
| 2016–17 | 92.41 |
| 2019–20 | 656.05 |
| 2020–21 | 829.90 |
| 2021–22 | 43.48 |
| 2022–23 | 96.99 |
| 2023–24 | 803.00 |
| 2024–25 (till May) | 38.41 |
Notably, the highest anomalies — ₹829.90 crore — were recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic, a period when the state was facing severe public health and revenue challenges. Negi termed this “not just financial misconduct but administrative insensitivity.”
Payments Released Without Work Completion or Bank Guarantees
Negi alleged that payments were released to contractors without ensuring performance guarantees or project completion, indicating collusion between certain officials and private contractors.
He added that several registered vendors did not deposit mandatory GST amounts, yet no regulatory action or notices were issued by the department.
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Concerns Over Construction Standards, Missing Royalty Payments
The report further highlights discrepancies in construction material procurement, including missing royalty records and allegedly substandard infrastructure quality in several government-funded projects.
“These irregularities are not administrative oversights but clear evidence of institutionalised loopholes,” Negi stated.
CAG Report Not Presented in Assembly — A Constitutional Concern
Negi further alleged that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) findings pertaining to these cases have not been placed before the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly — a departure from standard constitutional procedure.
“Until the report is presented before the House, accountability remains suspended. The delay appears strategic rather than procedural,” he said.
Demand for SIT, Vigilance, or CBI Inquiry
Calling the matter too extensive to be addressed through internal departmental review, Negi demanded an independent inquiry led by either the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Vigilance Department, or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). According to him, any internal probe would remain vulnerable to institutional pressure.
“A Blow to Public Trust and Governance”
Negi concluded by saying the alleged financial misconduct represents a systemic failure in governance rather than isolated administrative lapses.
“This is not just misuse of public money — it is a breach of trust with millions of taxpayers. If transparency and good governance are real commitments, strict accountability must follow,” he said.
