SHILLONG: Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong has defended his department on the controversy over Syndai Park saying that the issue is a “closed chapter.”
Tynsong, while giving the history of the project, said that the project was actually proposed by the Soil and Water Conservation department and later Forest department was asked to execute it.
“But the latter refused to take up the job due to shortage of manpower,” he said while speaking to reporters here on Friday.
However, the State level Scrutiny Committee then requested Forest department to implement the project since fund for the project had already arrived by that time.
The controversy over Syndai Park came to light when two files containing papers related to the alleged misappropriation of over Rs 30 lakh meant for the park went missing.
However, according to Tynsong, the files might have been misplaced “but not even a single penny meant for the project has been diverted or misappropriated.”
It was the Deputy Secretary to the Forest & Environment Department A. Nikhla who had lodged a complaint at Sadar Police Station that two files bearing No. FOR.76/2006, relating to the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Border Area Development Programme went missing from the Forest and Environment Department, Secretariat Building, Shillong, between 2006 and March 19, 2014.
