SHILLONG, May 28: The alleged shoddy construction of different government projects has riled not just some political parties and organisations but also the citizens of the state.
Retired bureaucrat and social activist, Toki Blah criticised the state government for its alleged poor attention to good governance.
“It seems they just want to finish their five years, no matter what happens and what their ministers are doing,” Blah said.
He alleged the ministers are awarding contracts for the construction of bridges, buildings or roads to themselves. He said when they are supposed to serve the people, they are serving themselves.
Stating that everything is collapsing due to corruption, Blah said the citizens are disgusted as every day, there is a new sense of “nepotism, corruption and breakdown of everything”.
Former home minister, RG Lyngdoh said, “I feel there is a need for the Lokayukta to step in and take suo motu cognisance of all the cases and institute an enquiry to fix responsibility and recommend appropriate action against the ones found responsible.”
He felt the Meghalaya Society for Social Audit & Transparency, constituted by the Department of Rural Development for auditing MNREGA scheme, should be revamped and given a wider and stronger mandate, adding it should be reconstituted by an Act passed by the Assembly and taken over by the Planning department.
“It should be given the mandate to inspect the implementation of all government-sponsored schemes, be they roads, buildings, bridges or other developmental schemes. However, special care should be taken to ensure that only respected people known for their integrity, who are not in politics, are included in this body. This will ensure that it has credibility,” Lyngdoh suggested.
He also said this body should not be driven by bureaucrats. The chairman and members should be from civil society while a senior officer from the Planning department should be made the member-secretary, he suggested.
Suspended Congress MLA Mayralborn Syiem insisted on the proper implementation of any construction project. Stating that there appears to be some lapses in the recent incidents, he said the government must ensure such lapses do not recur and book those at fault.
Demanding a thorough investigation, he said nobody should be allowed to play around with law.
Civil Society Women’s Organisation president, Agnes Kharshiing attributed the incidents of damage to embezzlement, cheating, corruption, abuse of power etc. She too demanded an immediate probe.
Another social activist, Michael Kharsyntiew said the government’s slogan of “Meghalaya on the move” is “sickening and shameful”. The state is moving but towards a disastrous future, he said.
“After 50 years of statehood, the government of the day is truly marching towards being awarded the most corrupt and backward state of the country. How can the sanctum of democracy or as many of our glorified babus like to refer as the ‘August House’ – the most respected building – faces such humiliation even before its start?” Kharsyntiew said.
According to him, the PWD Executive Engineer in-charge to be the paid custodian/expert for such prestigious important projects is himself an “open candidate” of the NPP-led government while still in government service. This is shocking, he said, adding how can one blame or hold accountable IIT-Roorkee as their partner in crime.
