SHILLONG, Nov 12: Digging in its heels in cornering the MDA Government on its alleged acts of omission and commission, the Opposition Congress has threatened to file a case against the government if the Power department did not cancel its previous order and issue re-tendering for the smart metering project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and for carrying out works under the Saubhagya scheme.
Speaking to media persons here today, Opposition Leader, Mukul Sangma said, “MeECL is being used as milch cow to satisfy the greed of a few so investigation into these improprieties is called for.”
On the Saubhagya project, Sangma said that one aggrieved party whose technical bid was disqualified went to the court and since the High Court fixed the hearing, the MeECL realised that there were loopholes in the petition of the government.
“While the process was going on, the MeECL submitted an application before the High Court saying they will recall and cancel the tender after the petitioner withdraws the case. There was pressure to allot without cancelling the tender after which the CMD was transferred and it is the chief minister who transfers officers,” Sangma revealed.
Earlier, he said that there was manipulation while awarding various important projects and accused Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma of delaying the Ganol hydro power project.
Sangma said that the project could have been completed in the shortest possible time while pointing out that the DPR for the project was prepared in 2007-08 but as the Congress could not form the government in 2008, Conrad Sangma who was the Power Minister then sat on the project and did not allot it until the validity of the project ended.
He said that for the revival of the project, a new DPR had to be worked out and there was a gap between two DPRs as a result of which there was cost escalation.
“Because of their failure to allot the project in 2008-09 this has happened but we went ahead and ensured that the project was not slowed down due to delay in flow of funds,” the Opposition leader said while questioning the move of a revised estimate after more than 60 per cent of the work has been completed.