IMC probe finds GG Rongmei guilty of fund misuse
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 21 2022: Contractor GG Rongmei, who allegedly siphoned off huge amount of fund of Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC) without executing works or left incomplete, has been asked to refund Rs 1,52,20,404 within seven days and an order in this regard has been issued by IMC engineering officer K Romeo.

As per information available from IMC, a departmental enquiry conducted to identify work programmes allotted to GG Rongmei and whether the works allotted to him were executed or not led to the conclusion that some of the works allotted to him were never taken up while some works remain incomplete though the fund had been withdrawn from the corporation.

The committee found out that the fund withdrawn by GG Rongmei was not commensurate with works executed and accordingly asked him to refund Rs 1,52,20,404 within seven days effective from August 17, 2022 .

Mention may be made here that Thangmeiband MLA Kh Joykisan had alleged non-execution of IMC related works in Thangmeiband AC despite withdrawal of huge fund and has been pressuring the authority to identify the defaulting contractor.

In response to the MLA's charges, IMC issued a clarification sating that there is no one called contractor GG Rongmei in Thangmeiband.

Nevertheless, a departmental enquiry committee of the IMC later confirmed contractor GG Rongmei as IMC Ward No 1 corporator Gaidon Gangmei Rongmei.

Further, MLA Joykisan demanded collection of the withdrawn fund from the contractor concerned and allot the works to contractors who could execute the works in time.

Some of the work programmes allotted to GG Rongmei remain incomplete while some works were never taken up.

Among the works which were never taken up include construction of a park worth Rs 8,94,306 under Amrit scheme in Ward No 1 and GG Rongmei has been asked to refund this fund.

GG Rongmei had withdrawn Rs 6,86,863 for construction of a Meira Shang (shed) at Lourung Purel Leikai under the 3rd state finance commission award 2019-20 but the work remains incomplete.

Accordingly, IMC told GG Rongmei to refund Rs 3,67,687 out of Rs 6,86,863 withdrawn by him.

GG Rongmei also withdrew Rs 7,75,660 meant for construction of drain at Thangmeiband Hijam Dewan Leikai under the 3rd state finance commission award 2020-,21.He changed the work programme but did not take approval and this fund is also among the funds GG Rongmei has been asked to refund.

GG Rongmei had also withdrawn Rs 7,75,660 for construction of drain at Thingel Leikai but never executed the work.

He also withdrew Rs 7,73,515 for construction of a public toilet at Majorkhul Youth Club but did not execute the work at all.

After withdrawing Rs 11,45,258 meant for construction of drain and bathing, washing facility at Thangmeiband Polem Leikai under the 14th finance commission award (2nd instalment, 2017-18), GG Rongmei changed the work order but approval was not given.

He also withdrew Rs 13,72,489 for construction of one slab culvert at Thangmeiband Meisnam Leikai, construction of Merai Shang for Thangmeiband Meisnam Leikai and construction of slab culvert at Thangmeiband Hijam Dewan Leikai under the 14th finance commission award (2nd instalment, 2018-19) but the slab culvert at Thangmeiband Hijam Dewan Leikai was left incomplete while two other works were never taken up.

He is also accused of withdrawing Rs 13,70,183 for improvement of Rupmahal Tank - BT Road under the 14th finance commission award but never executed the work.

For construction of drain from the land plots of Thokchom Ranjit to Thingbaijam Ibecha in Thangmeiband Lourung Purel Leikai, GG Rongmei had withdrawn Rs 15,00,671 under thel4th finance commission award 2019-20 but the work remains incomplete and accordingly IMC told GG Rongmei to refund Rs 7,03,371 from the amount he had withdrawn for the programme.

IMC also told GG Rongmei to refund money for some other works which remain incomplete though the fund had been withdrawn.

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