Greens worth Rs 20 bought for Rs 80 in Tenkasi GH; Rs 6.6L loss, five officers in dock
TENKASI: Director of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS) Dr J Rajamoorthy has ordered recovery of Rs 6.59 lakh from five officials after an audit revealed that leafy greens meant for patients' use at the Tenkasi Government District Headquarters Hospital were bought at Rs 80 per kg when their actual market rate was only Rs 20 per kg. The five officials were working in the office of the Joint Director of Health Service (JDHS).
Sources said, the price of one kg of greens was altered in the purchase order from Rs 25 to Rs 80, after the JDHS had approved the procurement price at Rs 25 per kg.
Of the five officials ordered to shell out Rs 6.59 lakh, V Sripadmavathi, former administrative official in JDHS office, was told to pay Rs 3.29 lakh, as per the recovery order accessed by TNIE.
Sources in the DMS office said a team of auditors is likely to launch a special audit in government hospitals at Sankarankovil, Sivagiri, Puliyangudi, Kadayanallur, and Shengottai where approximately Rs 50 lakh is suspected to have been misappropriated through similar collusion between officials and contractors.
Health department sources said, the alleged malpractice at the Tenkasi GHQH took place in two rounds between October 2022 and March 2023, and April 2023 to September 2023. 'The statistical department had fixed the price but the illegal procurement was done in collusion with contractors,' sources said.
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