Nuwara Eliya diesel fraud allegations over Rs. 9.2 million trigger complaints as garbage trucks reportedly stall without fuel.
The Nuwara Eliya diesel fraud allegation has triggered fresh controversy after written complaints were filed over an alleged Rs. 9.2 million financial irregularity linked to fuel procurement during disaster management work.
The combined opposition of the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council and the Nuwara Eliya Saving Organization have submitted complaints to the Auditor General and several other institutions, claiming that a major fraud occurred when diesel was procured for vehicles hired on a rental basis during the recent Cyclone Ditha disaster response.
Urban Councillor Susantha Priyalal Palihawadana of the United National Party, representing the combined opposition of the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council, and Dinesh Lanka Geeganage, representing the Nuwara Eliya Saving Organization, made these claims while speaking to the media after filing written complaints with the Auditor General and the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Local Government for the Nuwara Eliya District.
They are calling for a formal investigation into the alleged Rs. 9.2 million financial fraud said to have taken place in the allocation of fuel funds by the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council.
Speaking further, Urban Councillor Susantha Priyalal Palihawadana said that following the disaster situation late last year, the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council, under the supervision of the Nuwara Eliya Divisional Secretary, hired machinery such as excavators and backhoes on a rental basis for development work connected to the damaged Thalagala Oya, which flows through Nuwara Eliya town, and also supplied fuel for those machines.
He said the Divisional Secretary transferred Rs. 200,000 to the official bank account of the Municipal Council, while all other funds were spent from the provisions of the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council. According to him, the authority to spend those funds was granted through the intervention of Nuwara Eliya Mayor Upali Wanigasakara.
“A massive financial fraud has occurred in these expenditures,” Palihawadana said. He alleged that although more than Rs. 1,920,000 was allocated for fuel, the work had not been carried out properly or transparently in proportion to that amount.
“What we see is that only a large-scale financial fraud has occurred through this,” he said, adding that written complaints had been submitted to the Auditor General and other responsible institutions, requesting an impartial and formal investigation into the alleged irregular procurement of vehicles without a tender procedure and the irregular supply of fuel for them.
He further said complaints had also been filed with the Nuwara Eliya Local Government Commissioner’s Office.
Addressing the media afterwards, Dinesh Lanka Geeganage of the Nuwara Eliya Saving Organization alleged that Rs. 9.2 million in public tax money had been misused through a major financial fraud.
He said the organization was acting beyond party politics to expose injustices faced by the public and frauds and corruption allegedly committed by government institutions. He said that was why the group had decided to speak out about the fuel fraud.
“At a time when the country is facing many problems, and fuel and commodity prices have risen unbearably, making daily life difficult, we strongly condemn such thefts by local government institutions under the control of the government and ruling party,” he said.
“All this is public tax money,” Geeganage added, urging the public to pay attention to the revelations and use them as an opportunity to question frauds allegedly committed using taxpayers’ money.
He said responsibility for the alleged financial fraud within the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council lies with the Mayor, who also serves as Chairman of the Finance Committee. According to him, the process began and funds were allocated based on the Mayor’s approval.
“We hope that a formal investigation will be conducted and justice will be served,” he said.
Geeganage further claimed that due to the worsening fuel-related problem, waste management trucks belonging to the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council are now stopping in various locations, with workers reportedly having to bring fuel in bottles to restart the vehicles.
