SHILLONG: PWD (roads) Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar has denied allegations of nepotism brought by NPP legislator James Sangma in the Assembly.
Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Dhar said that neither he nor his brother Ngaitlang Dhar, Umroi legislator, are now part of the board of members of Dhar Brothers Construction Company Limited.
“After we became legislators, we decided not to be part of the board of directors of Dhar Brothers Construction Company Limited,” the Minister said.
Last week during the session, Sangma had alleged that the Sohra PWD Division had released the bills of only a single contractor – the brother of the PWD Minister.
The Minister, however, said that though his younger brother Rocky Dhar is a contractor, that does not mean that he is favouring him since the payment was as per the works carried out following the allotment of works and not by other considerations.
Asked why he did not clarify this during the Assembly session, the PWD Minister said that he wanted to reply to the allegations of James Sangma during the cut motion on matters related to PWD, but since Sangma did not move it, he wanted to clear the air through the media.
“The allegation by James that I misused my power is totally wrong and not acceptable”, the Minister said, adding that works are always allotted in a transparent manner.
