From Cosmos Sangma
TURA: The Meghalaya Rural Development Society (MRDS) that was tasked with implementation of the Total Sanitation Campaign by the District Water and Sanitation Committee in East Garo Hills violated government norms by releasing funds into the personal accounts of block coordinators to the tune of over three crore and eleven lakh rupees to complete the project.
The investigation into the implementation of TSC in East Garo Hills that was carried out by the district administration found that out of the total funds of Rs.5,32,07,000 that was received by MRDS for the project a sum of Rs.3,11,76,463 was released into the personal savings accounts of the block coordinators who were even tasked with constructing the toilets in the schools.
The remaining money was divided in two parts – Rs.1,79,70,602 was released to supplier Sohan Kumar Sah despite supplying only toilet pans and plastic doors and the balance of Rs.40,59,935 that was to be deposited in the MRDS account was diverted for other activities such as Self-Help Group seed money.
The norms clearly state that since MRDS had taken the sanitation project it was bound to utilize its own men and machinery to construct the school toilets.
However, the only work that MRDS did was to purchase the materials and release the money to TSC block coordinators who happen to be employees of the District Water and Sanitation Committee (DWSC).
This move by MRDS to shed responsibility of the project’s implementation and violate government rules was revealed in the enquiry report and a complaint was filed with the Principal Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya on December 17, 2013. No action was mooted by the State Government despite the findings.
There was also a suggestion made to the government to release the recovered amount of over one crore rupees to the school management committees for completion of the school toilets that were never taken up by MRDS but the Meghalaya government remained mum on the issue.
The East Garo Hills district administration had recovered Rs.60 lakh from the Tura supplier Sohan Kumar Sah for non-supply of materials and another Rs.40.59 lakh was given back by MRDS.
