Meghnagar (Madhya Pradesh): Nearly a month after the issue of substandard quality sports items at government primary and middle schools came to fore, Meghnagar police have registered an FIR against Katariya Book Centre for supplying poor quality goods to the schools at high price.
FIR has been registered after district project coordinator Ralusingh Sigad submitted his fact- finding report. Police booked the firm owner under relevant sections of IPC.
Earlier, school teachers, janshikshak and block resource coordinators (BRCs) conducted physical verification of sports equipment provided by the book centre at the Girls Middle School in Rambhapur, Boys School in Meghnagar, Middle School of Jharadabar and other government schools. Verification was conducted in presence of sub-divisional magistrate and tehsildar.
During verification, it came to fore that sports equipment provided by Kataria Book Centre were of poor quality and also overpriced. The rate quoted by the book centre was much higher than the market value.
On the basis of the DPC report, a criminal case has been registered against the owner of the Kataria Book Center in the Meghnagar police station. Earlier, the members of the parents-teachers association from many schools had brought to fore the anomalies in the purchase of sports equipment and other items.
District collector Somesh Mishra, had ordered an inquiry into the matter. Joint collector Sunil Jha was asked to submit a report on the irregularity within three days.
This tribal-dominated area is already under the lens over a number of alleged financial irregularities. The latest in the list is the anomalies in the purchase of sports equipment at 2402 government primary and middle schools in the district. According to information, Jhabua district has a total of 1977 primary and 425 middle schools and as per government instructions, every primary and middle school gets Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 for the purchase of sports equipment respectively.
