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NOTE 23 - CERTAIN AGED RECEIVABLES
12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Certain Aged Receivables [Text Block]
NOTE 23 – CERTAIN AGED RECEIVABLES

The receivable and other assets as of March 31, 2012 and March 31, 2011 include certain aged receivables in the amount of $2.03 million and $2.37 million respectively.  These receivables are due from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the Cochin International Airport.  The Government of India owns NHAI and the Cochin International Airport is partially owned by the State Government of Kerala.  The receivables have been due for periods in excess of one year as of March 31, 2012.  These receivables have been classified as current for the following reasons:

The Company’s subsidiary in India, TBL, worked on the building of an airport runway at the Cochin International Airport and a road and associated bridges on a highway for the NHAI. During the execution of these projects the clients of the Company requested several changes to the engineering drawings.  The claims of the Company against each of the clients involve reimbursement of expenses associated with the change orders and variances as well as compensation for delays caused by the client.  The delay part of the claim involves equipment that is idle on the job, including interest or lease charges for the equipment while it is idle, and workers that are idle, among others.  The expense reimbursement involves cost of new material including any escalation in the cost of materials, usage of equipment, personnel and other charges that were incurred as a result of the delays caused by the change orders.  These invoices were disputed by the clients and referred to arbitration. The process of arbitration involves each party choosing an arbitrator and the arbitrators appointing a third chief arbitrator. Each party then presents its case over several months and the arbitrator makes an award.

The receivables occurred and became due when TBL won two separate arbitration awards against each of these organizations. The arbitration awards were first reported on our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010 and reflected in our March 31, 2010 financial statements filed as part of the Form 10-K. The arbitration awards stipulate that interest be accrued for the period of non-payment.  However, the receivables do not have an interest component as the Company will try and use the accrued interest as negotiating leverage for an earlier payment.  During the year ended March 31, 2012, the arbitration order in respect of the receivables from NHAI was further upheld in favor of the Company. Although the receivables are contractually due, and hence its classification as current, it may take the Company  anywhere from the next 30 days to 6 months to actually realize the funds, depending on final verdict to happen in few months.  The Company continues to carry the full value of the receivables $ 1.48 million, without interest and without any impairment, because the Company believes that there is minimal risk that these organizations will become insolvent and unable to make payment.