By News Agency of Kashmir
Jammu : Controversies continue to surround Indian army as it is now the `Egg scam’, which has surfaced in Udhampur based Northern Command. Senior brass in the command have served show cause notice on over fifty-two (52) officers allegedly involved in supply of `under-sized and `under weight’ eggs to the troops.
The embezzlement surfaced after the Jammu and Kashmir police unearthed a major scam involving large-scale bungling in special supplies meant for troops deployed in high altitude areas.
Sources in army told News Agency of Kashmir that the controversy started after one of the soldiers filed a complaint alleging that ‘the eggs being supplied to the officers and jawans were not only `under sized’ but also of putrid.
The complainant further claimed that each egg has to weigh at least 48 grams and 12 eggs should weigh 600 grams as per the diet guide-lines approved by the Directorate-General Supplies and Transport (DGST), sources added.
Taking strong notice of the complaint, senior army officers have started an inquiry and show-cause notices have been served on over 52 officers who were commanding supply depots and units during the last four years, sources, preferring anonymity told NAK.
They added that the show-cause notices were served after the matter was brought to the notice of General Officer Commanding, Northern Command Udhampur.
The supply officers, sources said, not only failed to adhere to norms while issuing contracts for purchase of fresh eggs for the consumption of troops but also indulge in what they call `money making’ out of it by encouraging the suppliers for delivering under sized eggs to the troops.
According to sources, army officers and jawans, deployed in the Northern Command -comprised of three corps along with Rashtriya Rifles formations and other allied establishments in Jammu and Kashmir – consume about two eggs, per head, a day.
The loss to the exchequer caused by supplying under weight eggs is estimated into crores of rupees, the sources said.
Repeated attempts to seek comment from General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Command could not yield any result as he was busy in facilitating farewell to the out going Army chief General J J Singh, who is on farewell visit to the state of Jammu and kashmir.