From Our Correspondent
JOWAI: Despite the announcement of the date for the State Assembly poll and the imposition of the election model code of conduct, scores of people from Mihmyntdu and Khliehtyrshi villages are reportedly thronging the Block Development Office, Thadlaskein, with complete sets of documents and recommendation letters and work orders for the MLA schemes.
Jaintia Students’ Union president Rikut N Parien on Wednesday informed that the Union alongwith members of the Jaintia Youth Federation (JYF) visited the office after learning that there was a huge gathering of people there.
Parien informed that around 100 villagers from Mihmyntdu village thronged the office on Tuesday and again on Wednesday around 25 to 30 villagers from Khliehtyrshi village came to the office to submit their application forms to avail MLA schemes under the Special Rural Works Programme.
Each villager was armed with a set of documents including EPIC, utilization certificate, actual payee’s receipt, blank cash memos, final bill (blank), muster roll and attendance of labourers. However, most of the columns such as number of working days and materials purchased were left blank, except in the work order where the name of the beneficiary and the amount sanctioned were mentioned.
The villagers revealed that fake and blank cash memos were submitted to the Gram Sevak. “We pay Rs 100 for each fake cash memo,” one of the beneficiaries, Biwingsil Kyndait of Mihmyntdu, revealed.
The villager also revealed that their Rangbah Shnong had informed them that Rs 10000 each will be paid to them as a grant for house repair.
“I came yesterday (Tuesday) but my application was rejected as there was a spelling error in my name. Last night Dr RC Laloo certified my real name and today (Wednesday) I came here again to submit the same,” the villager said.
Meanwhile, some staffs of the BDO office were found to be selling revenue stamps at higher rates. One-rupee revenue stamps were being sold at Rs 10 each and four revenue stamps were being submitted along with each of the applications.
“This is a clear violation of the model code of conduct and the MLA is trying to fool the people to secure more votes in the upcoming election,” the JSU chief later said.
According to the JSU, on Tuesday around 80 beneficiaries, most of them from Mihmyntdu village, submitted their documents to one Da-o Passah, a Gram Sevak in the Thadlaskein Block Office.
Again, on Wednesday around 25 to 30 beneficiaries came to the office and submitted their documents to the concerned Gram Sevak who is also in charge of Khliehtyrshi area.
Sources also informed that, when the NGO leaders reached the BDO office, the employees immediately stopped entertaining those beneficiaries who had come to submit their work-orders recommended by the local MLA (Dr RC Laloo).
The BDO, AM Lyngdoh, also denied that work orders were being entertained in his office.
“On Tuesday I saw many people here and when I was informed that they had come for the MLA scheme I directly told them that such schemes are no longer available,” Lyngdoh said, adding that no application or work order was received after the announcement of the election date.
Meanwhile, sources have alleged that the BDO’s office is under pressure to distribute the grants since work orders have already been issued to the beneficiaries.
According to Lyngdoh, the last sanction approved for Jowai constituency during the current financial year is Rs 50 lakh out of which 50 per cent had already been distributed to the beneficiaries.
Most of the work order was issued to the beneficiaries on December 31 who had been asked to come to the office on January 6 with all necessary documents, the BDO added.