JHADC chief assures action against Ummulong headman

JOWAI: The chief executive member of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), Awhoi Andrew Shullai, has assured villagers of Ummulong to take action against headman SS Langi, village chairman Briwon Pohshna and village secretary Pyrkhatbha Lamare for failing to convene general meeting for three consecutive years.
The villagers met Shullai on Thursday and apprised him of the situation. They told him that the Dolloi had directed the headman to convene the dorbar on September 28. But Langi and the other two informed the Dolloi that meetings were convened on September 1, 6 and 21.
“They did this just to show that they had followed as per the Powers and Functions of Headmen under Section 31(2) of The Elaka and Village Administration Act 2016 which stated that the headman should convene the general meeting not less than three times in a year,” the villagers said.
The villagers requested the Dolloi and the CEM to take stern action against the headman and remove him and an acting headman be named or election for new headman be conducted.
Sources also alleged that the all the three village heads were strong supporters of the sitting MLA and former JHADC Chief.
Anomalies in implementation of the MGNREGS: Job cards were issued to beneficiaries after the public hearings held since 2008.
According to the villagers, the headman forged all signatures of the job card holders.
Wages were transferred to job card holders’ bank accounts by the headman even when they did not come for work, the villagers alleged.
Another allegation is that money was transferred to the account of his close relative.
A lady who worked only for 28 days got Rs 24,000 which is equivalent to more than 141 days’ work which shows that there was no maintenance of records.