Headmen misappropriated

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, NOV 25: A former headman of a village in Ri Bhoi district has been accused of misappropriating the MNREGS funds and depriving deserving job card holders of their legitimate wages, an RTI revealed. The RTI was filed by an aggrieved resident, who has been victimized due to the alleged abuse of power by the former Rangbah Shnong of Umsaw-Nongkharai village A Sunn.

Addressing a news conference on Friday, one of the residents W Syngkli said, “The  RTI report reveals that Sunn, who was also VEC chairman, has been withdrawing wages by forging the signatures of many job card holders.”

The illegal activities, which went unnoticed from 2013, only came to light when we as residents decided to file the RTI, and on receiving the reply were shocked especially those whose names have appeared in the list of job card holders, he informed.

“We have so far found out that there are six job card holders whose signatures have been forged by Sunn to withdraw wages amounting to over Rs 1.63 lakh,” Syngkli said while informing that they would be further studying the RTI.

He said total amount of Rs 33 lakhs had been withdrawn for construction of a 300 metres footpath when work for 100 metres has been completed so far.

“The RTI also revealed that money amounting to Rs 20.30 lakh was also withdrawn for construction of a RCC Motorable Bridge, which is non-existence in the village,” he alleged.

When asked, Syngkli said based on the report, the residents will soon lodged a complaint with the BDO for necessary action against the former headman.

He further revealed that the decision to expose the illegal activities of the former headman was taken after the villagers have had enough because of abuse committed by the by the former headman for over 6 years.

Based on their complaints, KHADC has also recently appointed acting Rangbah Shnong J Lyngdoh Thaiang on October 18.

“It (KHADC) has also directed Sunn to handover all documents to the Acting Rangbah Shnong but he failed to so till today as he still claims to be headman of the village,” he said.