The sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee on Environment Department held discussion on misappropriation of funds in the forest sector at the Assembly Secretariat Conference Room, here on Wednesday.
The meeting, under the chairmanship of Member of the Provincial Assembly Anwar Kamal Khan Marwat, held para-wise discussion on draft paras relating to the mismanagement in the disbursement of funds in the forests sector.
The Audit Department raised observations on the diary and disbursement of about Rs 0.9 million in the Chitral forests wing and objected that the DDO powers had been given to the range officer but the DFO himself had drawn the amount which was against the rules and regulations.
Secretary Environment stated that the DFO was authorised to empower any of his sub-ordinates for the DDO purpose and there was no illegality if the DFO himself had signed as the DDO.
After hearing thoroughly, the committee recommended that the para might be dropped. The committee also reviewed two more identical paras and reserved recommendations.
MPAs Muzaffar Said Advocate and Khalid Waqar Chamkani Advocate, Secretary Environment Noorul Haq, Additional Secretary M. Khalid Khan, Chief Conservator of Forest Ghazi Marjan Khan, Director Audit, NWFP Mohammad Asif, Conservator of Forest, Malakand Dr Mohammad Iqbal Sial, Assistant Secretary NWFP Assembly Dost Mohammad and officers of the law, finance, audit, forests and environment departments attended the meeting.