"Anti-Corruption Cell pays no heed"
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 28 2017: Many people have expressed great disappointment with the much-hyped Anti-Corruption Cell (ACC) opened by the N Biren-led coalition Government with the purported objective of bringing transparency in governance and ultimately eradicate corruption .

Dejected by the cold-shoulder treatment meted out to them, the complainants have questioned the power, jurisdiction and functions entrusted to ACC .

Apart from paying little attention to the complaints, the ACC officials made the citizens to approach them repeatedly, they alleged .

One of the complaints submitted to the ACC which has been allegedly ignored pertains to recruitment in Electricity Department under die-in-harness scheme .

L Sanatombi Devi of Langthabal filed an application to the State Government seeking a suitable job under die-in-harness scheme in place of her late husband Leishangthem Priyobarta who worked as a Peon in the Directorate of State Lotteries .

Priyobarta expired on April 11, 2004.After his death, Sanatombi filed an application to the State Government seeking a suitable job under die-in-harness scheme.

The application was attached with a note written by the then SDO Wangoi which pointed out there was no harm in giving a suitable job to Sanatombi as their children were only 13 years, 10 years and 6 years old then .

In the meantime, the Directorate of Lotteries stopped playing lottery since February 1, 2004.Subsequently, all its employees were transferred to different departments .

Subsequently, Electricity Department was asked to give the benefit of die-in-harness scheme to Priyobarta's family.

Accordingly, written correspondences were made between Electricity Department and Department of Personnel on the matter .

With all necessary documents already submitted, Sanatombi was waiting for appointment in Electricity Department for the past 13 years or so .

Sanatombi was placed in 5th position in the seniority list among die-in-harness applicants (Peon group) of Electricity Department .

Whereas Sanatombi was quite hopeful that she would be finally given a job as her name was placed in the top section of the seniority list, she found herself in the 259th position in the seniority list after sometime .

Aggrieved by such blatant manipulation, Sanatombi lodged complaint to the Chief Minister himself on the last Meeyamgi Numit (June 15).After listening to her complaint, the Chief Minister wrote to the Chief Secretary and the Anti-Corruption Cell to take up necessary action .

Subsequently, Sanatombi lodged another complaint to the ACC yesterday but she was told to come again after finding out how many people included in the senior list have been given jobs .

Sanatombi went to the ACC office today again.

Even as the OSD (ACC) talked with the Under Secretary (Power) over telephone, ACC officials refused to accept her complaint letters yesterday as well as today .

They sent her away saying that she may come tomorrow or the day after to discuss the matter after necessary document has been received from the department concerned .

In the meantime, a letter sent by Under Secretary (Power) Sheikh Abdul Hakim to Sanatombi on June 21 explained that she was placed in the 259th position of the seniority list of cases transferred from other departments at the advice of Department of Personnel .

However, Sanatombi has been contending that pushing down her name from 5th position to the 259th was too much.

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