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Automatic weather system: Audit Office uncovers irregularities?

27 Jun 2020

The National Audit Office (NAO) has unearthed gross irregularities with regard to the Rs. 400 million-worth Doppler radar system project which is an automatic weather system launched 13 years ago. The NAO report has revealed widespread irregularities that had occurred during the installation of the radar system which was brought down to the country as per a trust fund agreement entered by the Ministry of Disaster Management with the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) on 24 May 2007. The $ 1,681,017 contract had been awarded by the WMO on 18 June 2009 to the US-based (American Institute of) Enterprise Electronics Corporation (EEC) for the procurement of Doppler radar machines. As revealed by the NAO, two Doppler radar systems are to be installed near the office premises of both the Puttalam and Pottuvil Meteorological Stations with the aid of the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA). However, several issues have been observed, including the extent of land required for this project not being specifically identified, the survey plans not being prepared, and land acquisition activities being carried out at a snail’s pace. Shortcomings such as the operations of the automatic weather system being disrupted from time to time, the weather system failing to provide accurate weather data, the collapsing of data communications facilities, and less attention being paid to the proper maintenance of the equipment have also been observed. Furthermore, several irregularities have been uncovered with regard to the trust fund expenses. It was revealed that the purpose of the trust fund agreement had not been achieved and the financial losses to be borne by Sri Lanka had only occurred by extending the contract period. A sum of $ 1,096,442.76 had been utilised from this fund by 20 September 2019, the NAO stated. When contacted by The Sunday Morning, Director General of the Department of Meteorology A.K. Karunanayake noted that the Department, based on the information gathered from the investigations conducted by the Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) as well as other investigation bodies, had filed a complaint at the Bribery or Corruption Investigation Division of the Police. Since an investigation is ongoing, the Director General declined revealing certain information regarding the project. (MM)

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