IMPHAL, Jan 6: The normal service delivery systems of Manipur Pollution Control Board (MPCB) have been seriously affected by the misutilization of government vehicles in an abuse of excessive power by the present chairman, MPCB.
The matter has been brought into notice officially to the Chief Secretary Manipur recently but no official action has been taken up by the state government against the chairman of the MPCB.
According to a reliable source, some section of social activists in the interest of the general public of the state for the purpose of minute inquiry and investigation ascertained that the chairman, Manipur Pollution Control Board is illegally misutilizing five numbers of government vehicles bearing registration Nos. MN-01K-1655 ( Ambassador Car (AC), MN-01W-2184 (Bolero), MN-01W-2240 (Gypsy soft Top), MN-01W-1039 (Omni Van) and MN-01-3980 allotted to MPCB for effectively discharge of government duties and effective performance of the board in various activities with regard to prevention and control of pollution in the state, for his own private and family purpose and political campaign which has seriously affected the performance of public duties connected with the board till date.
The source further mentioned that, the officers and officials of the board are compelled to hire vehicles for the discharging their official duties as and when the need arises for his own expenditure. It is revealed that the chairman, MPCB in exercise of his abusive power captured position of all vehicles from date of allotment by the state government for Manipur Pollution Control Board and expanded huge expenditure for the supply of petrol for the said vehicles.
It is also further mentioned that, out of the seven vehicles allotted by the state government for the MPCB for discharge of official duties, one Maruti van and one Gypsy is being allotted to Member Secretary & Sr. Environmental Engineer and rest five vehicles are all with the chairman, MPCB for his private and family uses. Further, it is found that whenever information required to called from the board for general public and action taken thereof relating to Municipal solid waste, noise and Automobile pollution, hazardous waste pollution etc. concerned officers mainly of the engineering section are absent almost all the time keeping their room under lock & key except on some particular days keeping open the office room of the officers though without officials, resulting in a lot of sufferings for the general public while collecting information and even when people are desiring to lodge complaints of unwanted situation.
The reliable source further mentioned that, there is no any sign of activities so far from the MPCB relating to Municipal Solid Waste, Noise pollution control measures, proper Automobile Emission checking/monitoring, hazardous waste controlling measures except random issue of “No objection certificate†for mobile towers erection, show mills, brick fields etc. without considering the hazardous effect to human health & environment to get monitory benefits from the concerned.
The source also mentioned that, the system of the concerned officials is required to be dealt with an iron hand by the Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur to stop such illegal practice of corruption otherwise the state will not find enough space for survival from pollution in the near future. The general public of the state has suffered beyond measures from the Dereliction of duty by the officials of the MPCB, the only authority to control pollution in the state.
Further, considering the fact, mentioned herein above the Chief Secretary, Manipur may give particular attention and conduct proper enquiry of the Member Secretary, MPCB, as to how five numbers of vehicles allotted to MPCB for the discharge of official duties are being utilized by the chairman, MPCB and in what manner with the direction to submit a report in writing within a time frame so that public interest may not suffer for any longer from misuse of power by the higher authority, the source added.
