QUETTA: Financial irregularities of worth Rs 16.8 billion have been unearthed in Balochistan Ten Billion Tree Project.
According to a special audit report on the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Program in Balochistan, the project’s progress was severely hindered by administrative instability, particularly the frequent transfers of project officers. The report reveals that out of the targeted 106.5 million trees, only 12.5 million were actually planted, a shortfall of nearly 88 percent.
The audit report further highlights major financial mismanagement in the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Project in Balochistan, a loss of Rs 15 billion was incurred due to non-fulfillment of the project target, a record of Rs 27.8 million was not given to the audit team. Another Rs550 million was reportedly lost as a result of inadequate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
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The report further identified questionable expenditures of Rs20 million in the setup of a mega nursery, where evidence of actual implementation was minimal or missing. Moreover, Rs50 million in taxes that should have been deducted at the source were not withheld. Shockingly, Rs9 million in payments were made based on falsified reports.
The report revealed that Rs 6 million was paid without approval to extinguish the Chilgoza forest fire in Sherani.
