Billion Tree Tsunami: KP govt places order for 10m saplings without tender

PESHAWAR: Instead of investigating the wrong claims, cash payments and irregularities in the Billion Tree Tsunami Project, the PTI government unlawfully contracted this reporter for the supply of 10 million saplings, which constituted a serious violation of the KPPRA rules.

A The News report had also pointed out that purchase of millions of saplings without floating a tender was an illegal act. By amending the PC-1, the Forest Department purchasedmillions of saplings from favourite persons but did not issue tenders. The Billion Tree Tsunami Project’s Director Muhammad Tehmasip verified the issuance of a letter in this regard. The director Billion Tree Tsunami Project released a letter (51-3148/PD/BTAP/FE&WD/2018) on February 22 in the name of Arshad Aziz Malik, Resident Editor daily Jang, Peshawar.

The letter says a claim has been made in the newspaper report that Chilgoza and Kikar saplings had been purchased at high rates under the Billion Tree Tsunami Project, while in the market Chilgoza sapling was available at Rs5 and Kikar at Rs2.

Since the planting season of these saplings was on in different areas from Dera Ismail Khan to Chitral, therefore, the Jang Group should supply 10 million saplings within 30 days, whose payment will be made right then and there.

The Forest Department claims that these saplings were available in the market at high rates. According to the reporter, under what law and rules the Forest Department had ordered one person to provide 10 million saplings, as there is no room in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government laws that allows a department to make direct purchase.

According to the KPPRA rules, purchase of saplings does not come within the ambit of goods and works but services. The Forest Department has violated laws by purchasing millions of saplings from one person, which was highlighted.

However, Director Billion Tree Tsunami Project has made an acknowledgement of the order by releasing the letter that the department made direct purchases and payments were also made for them. The order for provision of millions of saplings to favourite ones by the government is unlawful and amounts to abuse of power.