JE claims suspension due to refusal to sign

SHILLONG, JUNE 18: A junior engineer of the Shella-Bholaganj C&RD block said that the suspension order against him and another junior engineer of the block was issued because just because they did not cooperate with the Block Development Officer (BDO) in the implementation of a scheme for road construction.

“The main reason for our suspension is due to fact that we failed to sign the papers relating to the release of funds under the black topping of rural road scheme (BTRRS) as was ordered by the BDO,” Primadona Mawkhlieng, one of the junior engineers who was placed under suspension told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday.

Mawkhlieng said, “We decided not to cooperate with the order of the BDO after we found that signature of the assistant executive engineer of the block, Colin Kharraswai was allegedly forged by the office accountant Tngen Sing Basaiawmoit.”

On this, Mawkhlieng said, an FIR was also lodged by the Kharraswai, who at present was posted at Simsanggiri Sub division Williamnagar, East Garo hills district against the office for allegedly forging his signature leading to the arrest of the accountant Tngen Sing Basaiawmoit recently.

Mawkhlieng statement came a day after the BDO Lyngkor Kynjing filed an FIR on Tuesday in Sohra police state alleging that Assistant Engineers Colin Kharraswai and some other assistant engineers were found to be involved in certain serious anomalies in the implementation of various construction schemes.

Kynjing has also stated in the FIR that after he instituted a departmental complaint against the junior engineers, they were suspended from their services.

Mawkhlieng along with her colleague was put under suspension on June 3 as per order issued by the Director of C&RD Akash Deep.

According to her, prior to the suspension, after the junior engineers failed to cooperate with him, the BDO earlier on January had issued show cause notices to them alleging that they are incapable to work for the posts they were appointed.

“We decided not to sign any papers fearing of being charged with any sort of anomalies,” she said adding “I cannot take risk to sign papers if I don’t know the purpose of making us sign.”

The junior engineer also revealed that they found out that the construction of the 1.28 kilometer road under the scheme which was sanctioned at a cost of Rs 32 lakh was completed on May. “But in the measurement book (MB), the accountant and the BDO had stated that construction work had already been completed on December 20, 2013 when the work was started only on October 15, 2013,” Mawkhlieng said adding “It is impossible to complete the work within two months.”

Mawkhlieng further stated that the accountant Tngen Sing Basaiawmoit had forged the signature of the asst engineer Colin Kharraswai with the knowledge of the BDO.  She said, “Basaiawmoit had continue to work for three months in the office even after his service had expired since January 31, 2014 and this is also with the knowledge of the BDO.”

On the alleged irregularities, she said, “The allegations made by the BDO that the junior engineers are involved in financial irregularities are all baseless and unfounded.”- By Our Reporter