An RTI activist, Jewel Sengyung of Haflong in Assam’s Dima Hasao district has raised questions regarding the overall performance of the BJP ruled North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC).
The RTI activist has also raised questions regarding transparency in the Council’s financial transactions.
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Addressing the media in Haflong on Thursday, Jewel and another social activist Sitminthang Khongsai alleged that the Debolal Garlosa led council has misappropriated government funds sanctioned to the council.
The two activists told the media that the Assam Government has recently released a financial assistance of Rs 25 crore to the council to clear outstanding salaries of the normal employees.
However, the council spent only Rs 15 crore to clear the outstanding salaries and hand shown that the rest of the money was spent on development works in an RTI forwarded to the secretary of the finance department of the council.
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But when another RTI asking for the details of the expenditure revealed that only an JCB excavator was procured by the PWD with an expense of Rs 33 lakh.
The activists questioned as to where the remaining amount of Rs 9.67 crore was spent.
Even after repeated petitions to the Chief Secretary of the council, no adequate and satisfying reply has come as yet from the council regarding expenditure of the remaining Rs 9.67 crore.
Jewel alleged that though the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is talking about transparency, a completely different picture has emerged in the functioning of the council in Dima Hasao.
Social activist Sitminthang Khongsai has also said that it is unfortunate that funds allotted to clear outstanding salaries of the council employees have been diverted and utilized in other development works.
He also said that the PWD is a department under the state government and funds for procuring machineries are sanctioned under separate heads.
The activists sought the cooperation of the people in unearthing the corrupt practices and financial irregularities of the council.