The Imphal Free Press
IMPHAL, Aug 11: Decrying the government’s decision to suspend the Imphal Municipality Council (IMC) for six months, the councilors have informed that they would file a case in the High Court to reclaim their rights if the government fails to revoke its decision.
A press conference was held in this connection today at the IMC campus. Speaking during the meet, Sh. Parahladi Sharma, councilor of ward number 27, contended that the move taken by the government in suspending the chairperson was appreciated. However, the action is already late, he added.
He claimed that out of the 27 councilors of the IMC 14 councilors have already apprised the government to take up no confidence motion against the Chairperson of the IMC but to their dismay no action was initiated as sought.
Further, he revealed that the income of IMC in liu of Octroi is Rs. 24 lakhs, that is Rs. 50,000 a month. But the monthly expenditure of the IMC is Rs. 43 to 45 lakhs technically putting the IMC in a deficit of Rs. 20 lakhs every month. The deficit was also the reason for the pending payments of salaries of the employees including the 131 pensioners for 30 months.
The IMC has been pleading for a big package from the government to recover the backlog running in the IMC. The government not only failed to address the situation but also failed to monitor time to time including during the period of the desperate hour, said Sharma and further questioned the failure for timely action. He also asked what it had done to other departments wherein huge amount of irregularities was detected.
Further, while appealing to the government to consider the grievances of the councilors and other employees at the earliest, Sharma also disclosed that they would resort to certain forms of agitations besides taking legal help to reclaim their rights.
It is pertinent to note that the government following a decision by the Cabinet, after examining the reports of a committee entrusted to investigate the IMC, decided to suspend the IMC for the period of six months with effect from August 10, where in huge amounts of funds irregularities and misuse was detected in the IMC.
