Surat: Soon after the alleged Rs 7.3 crore NREGA scam was found, another racket has rocked Bharuch district. This time, it seems that at least Rs 2 crore has siphoned off from the exchequer, through ghost applications for govt assistance to build toilets in houses. A retired schoolteacher, Pravin Modi, reported the scam after getting information through a Right To Information (RTI) application. It appears that documents submitted to get marriage certificates from the Ankleshwar municipality were used to apply for allocation of funds for toilets. Modi says five agencies and govt officials are likely involved in the scam.Modi told TOI: “I got information that ‘ghost’ toilets were made in 2014-2015, to siphon of funds from the Gujarat Municipal Finance Board and from other govt schemes. I asked the Ankleshwar municipality for details via RTI a couple of months ago. I was shocked to find that people who own big houses and bungalows in Ankleshwar were shown to have received assistance for building toilets. When I contacted them, they said they never applied for the assistance.” The information given by the municipality shows that Anand Kadi Gramodhyog Trust, Navchetna Vikas Trust, Kamdar Kalyan Mandal, Mahatma Gandhi Gramnirman Trust and Vasundhara Sarvajanik Trust had built 1,906 toilets in houses. It seemed many of these toilets were never built. I will file a complaint with the CM, collector, DSP and vigilance department, people’s documents were stolen to perpetrate this scam.” Nirav and Krima Hazariwala, who live in an Ankleshwar society, married in 2011. Nirav said: “We submitted our Aadhaar cards for our marriage certificate in 2012. They were misused to apply for toilets. We live in Vatsalya Society, which has 30 bungalows. This scam damaged our reputation as people would think we applied for govt funds. The govt and police should take action against those who stole our documents.” Another couple, Forum Patel and Roma Patel, were allotted funds for two toilets against their Aadhaar cards. “If Aadhaar cards are misused in this way, how can we trust govt offices? Strict punishment must be given to the scamsters,” said Forum Patel, who lives in a bungalow in a posh Ankleshwar society. Romin Chharel, who lives in the Church area of Ankleshwar, told TOI: “They used my and my wife’s Aadhaar cards, which were submitted for our marriage certificate in 2014. We discovered the misuse after 10 years. We suspect that the cards have been used elsewhere too. Police must investigate and hold those responsible accountable.” Funds for a toilet were also disbursed in the name of Fazal Wadia’s sister, who has been living outside Ankleshwar after her wedding. “My sister applied for a marriage certificate as she married in Ankleshwar. Even though she no longer lives there, a toilet was allotted in her name,” Fazal said. Of the 1,906 toilets funded on the list, many are showing as having been allocated to two different families of different religions. “How can families of different religions live in the same house or building? This scam seems substantial based on its allotments,” Modi said.
