Ex-Minister alleges fund embezzlement by engineers
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 20 2017:
Alleging fund misappropriation amounting to Rs 8 crore by engineers in the name of cleaning work at Waithou Pat, former Minister Konsam Tomba cautioned that a PIL would be filed in the Court if a white paper on the water body project is not produced by the concerned authority within a week .
Addressing media persons at Manipur Press Club today, Tomba said that the Central Government sanctioned four water body projects for the State at Lamphelpat for Imphal West, Irong Nallah (upper portion) at Luwangsangbam and Irong Nallah (lower portion) at Mantripukhri for Imphal East and Waithou Pat for Thoubal district .
He alleged that all the water body projects have failed to meet the 2017 deadline set for its completion .
He pointed out the failure to meet the deadline is due to the non-compliance of the laid out guidelines by the concerned engineers entrusted with the projects .
The former Minister also charged the concerned engineers under Water Resources Department with failure to provide utilisation certificate and other documents related to the projects despite repeated intimidations to do so by the Central Government .
He mentioned that there is a need to constitute an expert committee to investigate into the fund embezzlement .
He said that a missive in this regard had already been sent to the Chief Minister, IFCD Minister, Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary, Chief Engineer and Department of Vigilance.