Irregularities in distribution of flood relief come to light
SHILLONG: An alleged scam has come to the fore in the sanction of money to the flood affected victims of North Garo Hills. The cash of Rs 75,000 each was to be released on Friday.
The allegation is that while the affected families were deprived of the financial relief, those who were not affected were included in the list of beneficiaries.
After the matter came to light, the former legislator from Bajengdoba John Manner Marak took up the matter with Deputy Commissioners, Additional Deputy Commissioners of North and East Garo Hills and the concerned Block Development Officers.
Speaking over phone on Friday, Marak said that there is a need to have a high-level inquiry into the misuse of funds.
“Those who were not affected in the flood of September 22, 2014 were in the list of beneficiaries of Rs 75,000 each, while the names of the most affected persons who needed help after the water touched the roof level in the flood were omitted from the list under Resubelpara Block in North Garo Hills after the sanction of money by the Deputy Commissioner”, Marak said.
The former legislator who hails from Mendal village under North Garo Hills said that since he along with others were affected, he knew the affected families, but the Government ignored them and instead decided to provide the money for those who were staying in Hills untouched by the flood.
“I had contacted the Deputy Chief Minister in charge revenue and disaster management RC Laloo five times, but he did not return the call. Following this I had also sent text messages to him, but in vain”, Marak said.
According to Marak, the Deputy Commissioner of North Garo Hills wondered as to how the mix up took place as he said that it was the respective BDO who was entrusted with the task of disbursing the amount to the affected people.
“When contacted, the BDO in charge Resubelpara where Mendal and other areas fall told me that he would prepare my name and that of others for the disbursement of money as I was left out from the list, but what I wanted was that the real beneficiaries of entire North Garo Hills should get the money”, Marak said.
The former legislator said that the assessment of the flood affected people were carried out by clusters consisting of three to four self help groups, while the concerned BDOs and DCs never checked the ground reality.
Marak said that he had contacted East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner since the list of beneficiaries of Resubelpara for the district of North Garo Hills was with Songsak Block under East Garo Hills, and it was only recently that the documents were transferred to Resubelpara.
When contacted, the Deputy Commissioner of North Garo Hills did not return the calls.