Existing road uprooted to siphon off project fund
TURA: The alleged nexus between unscrupulous contractors and government officials appear to be deep rooted in the Garo Hills with the discovery about contractors destroying an existing road to pave the way for a new project so as to make money at the cost of the exchequer and give undue inconvenience to the common man.
The shocking revelation came to the fore in Mahendraganj constituency of South West Garo Hills which is currently represented by Congress MLA Dikkanchi D Shira, wife of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.
Villagers of Kazipara and Kalupara of Mahendraganj have lodged a complaint with the director of the state’s Border Area and Development Organization (BADO) in Shillong apprising him about the destruction to their well maintained road by three contractors who planned to recast it as another completed scheme and thereby claim the entire project cost.
The 1-km road through the two villages had been constructed under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) SCA of 2010-11 in the year 2014 and had shown no wear and tear when the road was suddenly taken for dismantling by mechanized JCBs under the direction of three alleged contractors, namely Mustafa Miah of Majherchar-II, Chandian Miah (Vice Chairman of MGCC, Govt of Meghalaya) and Khukon Miah.
The destruction of the road began on November 16 as mechanized machinery began to tear away the tarmac despite protests by villagers.
“There was no order or permission from any department for the dismantling of the road. It appears they wanted to remake the road and make it look like a new scheme to get a contract bill,” said angry villagers.
“We are demanding answers as to how a completed BADO scheme can be remade into a PWD project to suit the greed of officials and contractors and at the expense of our road. The government must initiate action against the guilty,” complained the villagers.