SHILLONG, FEB 23: The Congress led opposition KHUDA cornered the ruling ARPA executive committee in KHADC over the latter’s decision of leasing at least 18 beat offices of the KHADC’s forest department to private parties even Chief Executive Member Adelbert Nongrum defended by saying that it was done to raise the revenue of KHADC.
Congress MDC Neil Antonio War said during the question hour on the first day of KHADC budget session on Monday, “The present executive committee in a span of just six months of heading the KHADC executive committee changed the council’s policy by deciding to lease out all the beat offices of the forest department to private individuals.”
The eight beat offices of KHADC has been leased for collection of royalty on minor forest produces on different ranges/beats which collections of royalty on minor forest produces to :
Umsning Beat (MR Suting – Riatsamthiah, Shillong), Umsiang Beat (Leadingwell Khyriem – Mawlai), Umling Beat (Lambok Rymbai – Mawroh Nongpoh), Lailad Beat (Grossper Ryntathiang – Nongrang Maroid, West Khasi Hills), Byrnihat Beat (Beam Nongrum – Iewmawlong Nongpoh), 14th Miles Northern Range ( H Khongsit – Tyrsat village, East Khasi Hills), PAham Range/Beat ( Tyllilang Mylliemngap – Mawreng, East Khasi Hills), Patharkhmah Beat (Equator L Nongrang – Mairang Mission, West Khasi Hills), Athiabari Beat (Stilling Myrthong Tynghor Village, West Khasi Hills), Shillong Beat (Buff Nongrum – Keating Road Shillong), Mairang Beat (S Rani – Mairang, West Khasi Hills), Riangdo Beat (Aloysius Khardewsaw – West Khasi Hills), Mawiong Range Office (August Fredy Lyngdoh – Mawlai Motsyiar), Nongstoin Beat (S Thabah – Nongstoin, West Khasi Hills), Umiam Beat (Kephasing Syiem Mawnai – Mairang), Mawmaram Beat (K Syiem – Mairang Nongkhlaw), Amjong Beat (Shngain Dkhar – Mawlai Nonglum) and Nongpoh Range Officer (Peterson Kylla – Umsning Proper B, Ri Bhoi District).
Questioning the decision behind leasing out the beat office suddenly, War alleged that the staffs who were usually deployed to man these beat offices (around four staffs each) seems not to be working properly because of the step taken by the EC to lease out these offices to private individuals.
Responding to the attack, KHADC chief executive member (CEM) Adelbert Nongrum informed the house that the decision of the executive committee to lease out the forest’s beat offices was taken after conducting a study on the comparative statements of the previous years.
Nongrum said, “Various anomalies were found by the EC in the manner these beat offices were run by department. The exercise has been taken to raise the revenue collection of the council and the lease is on a trial basis for three months.”
Buttering his argument, Nongrum informed that these beat and check gate offices of the council has been leased out only from December 23, 2014 to March 31 this year.
But the opposition kept up their attacked and questioned whether any tender had been floated to which Nongrum admitted that no tender was floated. The CEM answer immediately drew sarcastic reaction from War who said, “Without calling for tender, does the CEM means that the work is allotted based on “friendship” with the private parties.”
Nongrum responded by saying the lease were allotted as per “system adding that the EC had selected the highest bidder from those who have submitted their applications.
Answering to a query raised by War on how much revenue KHADC has collected from the 14th Miles beat office , Nongrum informed that during the period of 2011-12, the revenue collected from the 14th Miles beat office before leasing it out to private party was only Rs 2003, and in 2012-13 it was Rs 1003. From April 1, 2014 to September 30, 2014, the forest department could generate revenue only Rs 9018.
Nongrum also argued that after leasing out these beat offices so far KHADC has been able to generate revenue of Rs 73, 332 and informed it is due to this fact that the EC had taken the decision to lease out the beat offices to private parties.
Nongrum also informed that as per the comparative study taken up it was found that the Nongpoh beat office had collected only Rs 33, 244 till October 2014, but after leasing out to lessee it has been able to generate Rs 68, 500.
Similarly, the Nongstoin beat office collection earlier was nil but after a period of three months it could generate Rs 15, 000.
On the issue of the KHADC staffs not working, Nongrum assured that the EC will streamline and would soon come up with a rotation policy in different departments to ensure that the services of the staffs are best utilized.- By Our Reporter
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