SHILLONG: HSPDP legislator Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit has come down heavily on the State Government for misleading the people that they have held consultations with various stakeholders before finalizing the new Lokayutka Bill, which was placed before the House last week.
“I do not remember there was any consultation being held with the stakeholders to give their views and suggestions on the Lokayutka Bill. The Government in the past had tabled a similar bill (Lokayuta Bill) but it had never tried to reach out to the stakeholders before it was tabled in the assembly,” Basaiawmoit said.
In the Governor’s address, the Government had claimed that a new Lokayukta Bill, in conformity with the model Bill recommended by the select committee of Parliament and based on the extensive consultations with various stakeholders was being brought to the assembly, during the current session.
The HSPDP legisaltor also said that the State Government to keep on check the trend of local Dorbar Shnongs issuing diktats to the residents in casting their votes to a particular candidate.
“This trend is prevailing in various parts of the State. We need to take stringent against such Dorbar Shnongs to allow the people to cast their votes as per their own conscience,” Basaiawmoit said.
He questioned the status of the Sohra Eco-Restoration Project which was not highlighted in the Governor’s address this year.
“I have been informed that the State Government has decided to abandon the project. I would like to really know if the project has really been abandoned,” Basaiawmoit said.
It may mentioned that the project was sanctioned by the Centre in 2010-11 under special plan assistance with the objective of enhancing soil moisture, identification of critical areas for immediate restoration of degraded soil and amelioration under scarcity during drier months.