TURA, May 1: BJP MDC from Tura, Bernard N Marak on Sunday alleged that both Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Tura MP Agatha K Sangma were being fooled by the NPP workers and contractors with RTIs filed recently revealing the misuse of public funds through ‘ghost projects’.
According to the Tura MDC, the RTI filed earlier revealed two ghost projects under MPLADS and SUWP scheme in South Tura which is the constituency of the chief minister and also the Tura MP’s hometown.
“The party workers are taking the CM and MP for a ride by withdrawing huge amounts from the MPLADS and SUWP funds for projects which are non-existent. RTIs filed in Tura Municipal Board (TMB) revealed ghost projects sanctioned through SUWP and MPLADS which are shown as completed under SUWP (2018-19) and as ongoing under MPLADS (since 2017-18). Among many projects which got cleared as completed, I want to bring to public domain a particular project in my locality (Kongbe Ading) where one party worker has got Rs 3 lakh sanctioned from MPLADS in 2017-18 for a graveyard waiting shed at Ranggira (which actually refers to Kongbe Ading graveyard). She got another Rs one lakh sanctioned from CM’s SUWP in 2018-19 for an RCC shed at Kongbe Ading graveyard which is shown as completed in the RTI but the only shed that stands in that graveyard is the temporary shed constructed by the public,” the Tura MDC alleged.
“This graveyard is used by Kongbe Ading and Ranggira locality so both the sanctions were made for the same shed in one contractor’s name. But when inspected, the only shed that was found in that graveyard was the one constructed by the public through general contribution and not under MPLADS or SUWP. Moreover, the graveyard belongs to Kongbe Ading which does not fall under the Tura Municipality but that worker somehow got it sanctioned through the TMB without public knowledge and the officials certified the shed as completed without doing physical verification,” Bernard added.
The Tura MDC alleged that the villagers were suppressed by the party workers from bringing out the fact and demanded that the CM and MP take immediate action against the concerned party worker.
“The party worker’s name is not revealed here so that the CM and MP may take action against the illegal activity and misuse of public funds. If no action is taken, we will take legal steps. This is just one of those many ‘ghost projects’ which have emerged from the MPLADS and SUWP in South Tura,” Bernard demanded.
