SHILLONG: An undulated KHADC CEM P.N. Syiem on Tuesday set to brush aside the contentious issue of wanton waste of money by EMs, the CEM and officials of the Council on air travels, terming the same as a non-issue.
“It is a non-issue as we are not going to Goa or Mumbai but to Delhi to hold meetings with officials there relating to different issues of the Council,” Syiem said.
“During my tenure as CEM, the Council faced many problems ranging from the headmen issue, non-allocation of the 14th Finance Commission to the ADCs, the special assistance scheme, issues of the Forum of Councils under Sixth Schedule (FOCUSS). As responsible EMs we cannot sit here in Shillong and hope that things get done easily,” he added.
An RTI filed by Marcus Lyngdoh, co-producer, ME Production, shed light on the abnormally high travelling expenses of the EMs and officers including the CEM whose ravel bills is Rs 1,68,203 lakh (4 trips), EM Neil Antonio War whose bill is Rs 2,56,212 lakh (9 trips), EM Lamphrang Blah who spent Rs 33,444 (one trip) and EM Banteidor Lyngdoh who spent Rs 44,319 (two trips).
With regards to the KHADC officers, W. Syiemlieh, Secretary of Executive Committee, expended Rs 2,97,204 (12 trips), R.S. Wanniang, Joint Secretary, EC, spent Rs 1,59,527 lakh (8 trips), T. Saiborn, Chief Forest Officer spent Rs 14,652 (one trip) and C. Pohlong, Planning Officer, who spent Rs 14,172 on one trip.
Apart from air travel expenses, the KHADC spent Rs 1,08,750 on food and lodging of War (Rs 23,200), W. Syiemlieh secretary (Rs 68,150) and R.S. Wanniang, Joint Secretary, EC, (Rs 17,400).
Reply provided by the KHADC Public Information officer (PIO), revealed that the official trips were the meetings of Forum of Councils under Sixth Schedule (FOCUSS) with the Ministry of Home and Finance, to seek additional funds for the district councils, follow up with the Central pertaining to the special assistance of the KHADC, the Supreme Court case and meeting of the EM with Director of Tribal Affairs, etc.
Moreover, it was revealed that the KHADC has depleted Rs 2,49,561 lakh during the meeting of the ADCs of the Northeastern states at Hotel Pinewood on July 8, 2015, the founding day of the Forum of Councils Under Sixth Schedule (FOCUSS) led by Pynshngain N. Syiem as chairman.
In this connection, the PIO said, “The food and lodging of the members of the ADCs from other states was taken into account, besides other costs which will definitely come up to Rs 2,49,561.”
