MPLADS misappropriation: More report about financial misappropriation comes up
2nd installment fund released but construction of community hall yet to start; another construction taking place at private land owned by a BJP leader
Source: IT News

Imphal, July 01 2019: Team Imphal Times continue to investigate on whether works approved for construction under the Rajya Sabha MP K.Bhabananda's Local Area development Programme are judiciously executed or not.

Of the 54 works approved for taking up in the year 2017-18, second installment fund which is about 80% of the total cost has been released.

Surprisingly some of the constructions like Community Halls have not even started its construction even as the 2nd installment fund has been released which is a blatant violation of the guidelines for taking up developmental works under the MPLADS.

Imphal Times visited Porompat Kshetri leikai to take stock of the construction work of a community hall whose estimated cost is of Rs.15 lakhs.

Of the total cost Rs 13.50 lakhs rupees has been released.

As per guidelines the release of second installment amount is done after completion 80% of the construction.

Team Imphal Times however could not found any such construction of Community Hall at Porompat Kshetri Leikai under Kshetrigao Assembly Constituency.

When enquired to the locals of the area, Imphal Times team has been informed that the construction of the Community Hall under the RS MPLADS has not been started due to dispute among the local in choosing the site for construction.

It is also told that the MP had handed over some amount to a committee entrusted for the construction.

MI canal stated to have constructed at Top Siphai, Wangoi

In another case, a community hall under the RS MPLADS is found constructed inside the private plot of a person at Naharup Mayai leikai in Imphal East.

Source said that the Land which the community Hall is constructed belong to the Organisation Secretary of the BJP Manipur Pradesh however the land still is not donated to the public, the source added.

The sanctioned amount for construction of the community hall is Rs 15 Lakhs and so far as per completion an amount of Rs 13.50 lakhs has been released.

The question now is that how a construction meant for the public could be constructed inside the plot of an individual before it is being donated to the people of the area.

Teams Imphal Times also learnt from reliable source that a Water Reservoir Tank at Yairipok Bishnunaha Mayai Leikai has been constructed at the cost of Rs 5 Lakhs under the Rajya Sabha MPLADS.

Rs 4.50 lakhs has been released for the construction.

But when Team Imphal Times inspected the site there was no such water reservoir tank constructed at the area.

Councillor of Ward No 2 of Yairipok Municipal Council while talking to team Imphal Times said that he had no knowledge of any such Water Reservoir Tank being constructed at the area under the RS MPLADS.

At Wangoi Assembly constituency too, Imphal Times have report about construction of MI canal from Awang Hithangpham to Nambul River and Hiran to Nambul River at Top Siphai, Wangoi.

The sanctioned amount for the construction was Rs.12 lakhs and a sum of 10.80 lakhs has been reportedly released.

When team Imphal Times visited the area no such construction was noticed at the said site.

Team Imphal Times when contacted to some of the Councilors of the Wangoi Municipal Council, it has come to know that no such work has been taken up during 2017-18 till today.

Imphal Times had reported the misappropriation of MPLADS of the Rajya Sabha MP for the years 2017-18 highlighting the facts.

No proper implementation of some works were noticed and reported.

The Editor of this paper also received intimidation for highlighting the misutilization or in other words misappropriation of public money.

Meanwhile, a local cub of Khwai Thokchom leikai - The Manipur People's Club in a press statement said that The RCC road at Keishampat Thokchom Leikai which was reported not constructed by this newspaper in its earlier report as incorrect.

It said the RCC road started construction on March 2018 and completed in May of the same year.

But RCC road with bitumen covering it is the first of its kind Imphal Times felt.