DUSHANBE, January 22, Asia-Plus  -- A damage caused to state by illegal activity of Dushanbegaz (Dushanbe natural-gas distributor) last year is 3.8 million somonis (equivalent to more than $1 million), Sherkhon Salimzoda, Director of the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption, remarked at a news conference in Dushanbe on January 21.   

According to him, reports of the Dushanbe natural-gas distributor did not record some 354 tons cement for 313,000 somonis, which was purchased by the enterprise for constructing buildings of its subsidiaries in the regions.   “Actually, the purchased cement was realized through the city markets at the rate of 20 dirams per kilogram and money made by selling the cement was misappropriated,” Salimzoda said.    

Besides, 55,000 somonis were embezzled during installation of gas meters in residential buildings.  

Investigation into these matters is under way, the anticorruption agency chief said.   

Salimzoda noted that 700 inspections carried out by the Agency last year recorded numerous violations.    

According to him, the total damage caused by these violations to the country’s economy is 130.5 million somonis.