SHILLONG: The Kisan Morcha of BJP has petitioned Chief Secretary Y. Tsering to release the payment of flood relief bills pending since 2014.
K.C Boro, former MLA and State President of BJP Kisan Morcha, in the letter, a copy of which was also sent to the Prime Minister, said in September 2014, a devastating flash flood took place in Garo Hills in which thousands of people, especially those in West Garo Hills, were affected. Roads and bridges, among others, were damaged causing loss of crores of rupees.
According to Boro, who was also the party’s state in charge of the department for disaster relief and assistance at that time, on the request of the state government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted Rs 300 crore for flood relief. The money was sanctioned and released.
Boro said the Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills had appointed as many as 12 whole-sellers as suppliers of relief materials. The relief was given on time to the victims.
However, at the time of appointment, the suppliers were assured that the bill would be paid within three months from the date of submission of the bill.
“It’s almost three years now, but it is really strange and unfortunate that till date the Government has not paid the bill to the suppliers,” Boro said.
The BJP leader wanted to know whether the fund has been misutilised. Boro asked the chief secretary to personally intervene in the matter and pay the long-pending bills to the suppliers “without further delay and do justice to them so that future reliefs are not hampered”.
