Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 07:
In case the State Government does not release CDA and cancels cheque issued in March this year the All Manipur Electricity Department Contractors and Suppliers� Association has threatened to agitate and take the Government to the law Court.
Talking to reporters at Manipur Press Club today afternoon, the Association�s general secretary Dayananda Phurailatpam asserted that a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) will be filed in the Court if the Government cancels the cheques issued to the contractors.
The Association also strongly condemned the reported discussion to cancel the cheques issued during yesterday�s meeting presided by the Chief Secretary and attended by Commissioners, Secretaries, chief Engineers and Superintendent Engineers of Engineering Departments.
The general secretary contended that issuing cheques to withdraw their pending bills and then deciding to cancel the same is beyond acceptability and illegal as per legal interpretations.
The failure to release a sum of pending Rs 6 crores to the contractors by the Government has dealt a crippling blow to the contractors.
As the contractors have no other alternative they are now constrained to agitate for their pending dues and bills, said Dayananda.
Joining the address, president of the Association H Ibomcha flayed the Finance in-charge Chief Minister O Ibobi maintaining a stoic silence on the matter and cautioned that if the Government does not release the required CDA within September 9 the contractors would agitate from the very next day.
The agitation would not only include cessation of supply but will also entail withdrawal of items already supplied, he maintained.