SHILLONG: Sericulture Muster Roll Workers along with TUR (Thma U Rangli Juki) organised a public hearing on the documents and information that was received after they filed an RTI that revealed anomalies in the distribution of wages.
In a statement, TUR said workers who are spread across the State in different units, like silkworm rearing farms, reeling and weaving units in Ri Bhoi, East Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, have been laid off since 2015. They were told that there were no funds for engaging them.
Analysing the records of the past 10 years, they were shocked to find pilferage amounting to lakhs of rupees. The amount was drawn against their names for months and years even when they did not work and payments were made to ghost workers, including in the names of some of their school-going children and inflated number of workers for these farms.
The analysis of the papers and sharing the findings were done by the muster roll workers themselves in the presence of two independent observers namely Patricia Mukhim, Editor of The Shillong Times, and Rev. Nathan Diengdoh.
Officers and representatives from the Directorate of Sericulture were also present, including the Deputy Director and Director of Weaving, District Sericulture Officers and others.
The findings indicate rampant and blatant corruption in this department. At the hearing only the corruption in wages of the muster roll workers was established. An analysis of material procurements will most likely indicate an even larger scale of corruption, which is the reason behind the sector and the department running into crisis, the statement added.
The findings will be submitted to the State Vigilance Commissioner with a demand for an inquiry.
The workers are also demanding regularisation of their work and improved working conditions, which they feel is necessary for the survival of the department.
