TURA: A Right To Information finding has put the authorities of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council in a tight spot with allegations of funds misappropriation once again surfacing after it was revealed that an amount of Rs 5.82 crore was disbursed for an alleged non-existing department called the head of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) in the oldest autonomous body.
Social activist Nilbath Ch Marak had obtained RTI documents revealing the huge amount of money being channelised to this so called IEC Head in the district council. Marak, who has been spearheading the search on alleged misappropriation of the Rs 100.71 crore given by the central government to the GHADC, has raised questions about the utilisation of the money allotted to the IEC.
“There is no such department called IEC under GHADC so on what basis was the fund provided to the contractor is what we want to know. Further what developments were made under IEC is questionable,” stated Nilbath Marak.
He informed that documents of the contract reveal that an initial amount of Rs 3,49,51,080 (60 per cent) was already withdrawn in favour of the contractor who was allotted the work.
“We are definitely sure the remaining 40 per cent of the payment was also released even though there is nothing on the ground relating to the so called IEC,” said Marak.
Nilbath has sought an answer to what happened to the money provided for the contract as well as the progress made on October 9. “I have sought details of the contract, including bills made out to the contractor by the GHADC. The RTI earlier had stated that amount was used for the purchase of materials, so what exactly did they buy is what I am really interested in,” said the social activist.
