Rongjeng: Barely a month left for Assembly elections in the state candidates and parties gearing up to woo voters with promises of development, the electorate too are preparing to seek answers from politicians about their broken assurances.
Take the case of Rongjeng town in distant East Garo Hills which borders the West Khasi Hills district.
Blessed with pleasant weather all year round, Rongjeng which is 52 kms from district headquarters of Williamnagar, is surrounded by rich forests whose timber are in prime demand, a wildlife photographer’s delight given the presence of a variety of wild animals, fertile agriculture lands and a major route for the transit of coal from the Nangalbibra region of South Garo Hills into neighbouring Assam.
Rongjeng has everything but a college.
The only degree college that was to come up over three years ago remains but an abandoned half constructed building.
Seeing the difficulties faced by students of the area in seeking higher education outside the region, the citizens of Rongjeng had petitioned the then Tura MP Late P A Sangma.
While there are around seven schools catering to students up to Class X, yet, Rongjeng has only two higher secondary schools that gives Class 12 education.
One run by the state government, Rongjeng Higher Secondary School, provides education only in the Arts stream.
The only other higher secondary school known as Holy Family H.S. School is run by the Catholic Church. It has its hands full with the high demand for admissions to it’s Science and Arts streams.
In the face of limited admission available many lose out on higher education. Those who can afford, head off to Williamnagar, Tura, Mendipathar or even distant Shillong.
The less privileged are the hardest hit.
To bring an end to this grim education scenario the foundation to start a degree college began to take form.
Funds were released by the then MP through the MPLAD scheme to kick start the construction work after the Nokma of Darugre A’king, Onalson R Sangma, donated his land for the college campus.
Work initially started in 2016 with the foundation and concrete pillars coming up at the site.
After that nothing has moved.
Citizens complain that money to the tune of ten lakhs was sanctioned through the MPLADS for the initiation of the project.
“We have come to know that the money is withdrawn but misused. Looking at the site will reveal that only 30 percent funds was used,” alleged citizens who are petitioning deputy commissioner Ram Kumar to constitute an enquiry into alleged fund misappropriation by the contractor.
They claim that as per guidelines provided by MoSPI regarding implementation of MPLAD scheme 75 percent of the project cost is released in the first installment.
” There is no question that around 80 percent of the work can be completed with release of the first installment. So why has the work remained stagnant?” Questioned local youth leader C G Momin.
Allegations of collusion between the contractor, government agency and others are being raised by concerned citizens.
” This is clearly a misappropriation of public funds and a loss to the student community of Rongjeng,” said Rongjeng elder Z M Sangma.
There are worrying signs that unless completed within the stipulated five-year time frame, the college could lose the donated land and if that happens there will be hardly any chance of a degree college coming up in the area near future.
The biggest losers would once again be the young boys and girls of Rongjeng whose dreams of contributing to society end at the doors of an incomplete college.