Former Meghalaya CM writes to governor on ‘corruption’ in ADCs

SHILLONG: Former chief minister and current leader of Opposition in the Meghalaya assembly Mukul Sangma has written to governor Satya Pal Singh about “serious allegation of rampant corruption” that has allegedly taken place in autonomous district councils (ADC), particularly in Garo Hills Autonomous District Council GHADC.
“There have been also earlier media reports based on information made available by RTI activists of alleged corruption in GHADC. The allegations are serious in nature and revolve around alleged misappropriation and siphoning-off of crores of rupees from the funds provided to GHADC for the development of backward tribal areas and for the welfare of our poor tribal residents,” Mukul said.
“It is also irony that the fund released to the ADCs were based on our continuous and productive engagement with the concerned ministries, including the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, for providing special allocation of fund to the ADCs for development and welfare of the people in backward tribal areas in view of the fact that the 14th Finance Commission Recommendation did not cover ADCs for receiving of grant/award under the recommendation of the 14th Finance Commissions unlike for the Panchayati Raj institutions,” he wrote in the letter.
Mukul further said that the “financial mismanagement and alleged corruption in GHADC” has also brought untold suffering to the employees of the council due to non-payment of salaries for last two years, crippling the functioning of the ADC and thus defeating the very purpose of its existence.
“I have also reason to believe that the allegations have enough substance and that a concerted effort is being put in for destruction of the evidence of the alleged corruption by the people in authority which must be prevented immediately in the interest of the people of the state,” the former CM said.
He urged the governor to ensure that the provision of paragraph 16 (2) of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution is invoked and an independent inquiry instituted as per law in the best interest of the people.
“Delay in action shall facilitate the people involved in the alleged corruption to get off scot-free, embolden corrupt people and thus perpetuate corruption,” Mukul wrote to the governor.