By Ruwngthung Hrangbung
CHANDEL, February 6: District Vigilance Committee (DVC) Chandel district today hit back at chairman of ADC Lhukhosei Zou for his clarification on the unequal allocation of Border Region Grant Fund (BRGF) in the local newspaper, saying it is himself (Lhukhosei Zou) who is fooling the general public of Chandel, the state and central governments.
Lhukhosei Zou, according to the release issued by DVC president BD Betha Anal, has no proper knowledge of the guidelines but is beating the around the bush.
DVC said, BRGF is not only for filling gaps of infrastructure, but to bridge the critical gaps filling convergence with other schemes and other development requirements that are not being adequately made through existing inflows. Panchayats and Municipalities may use these funds for any purpose coming within the items that are devolved to them. But the funds may not be used for religious structures or in the premises of religious institutions. The process of decentralization of planning and implementation is not done at all with transparency in Chandel, it alleged.
“The chairman in his statement said fund allocation is done by a DPC”, in this regard, the president of DVC countered that the chairman might be true but calculation has been done by the chairman himself and placed it in the meeting for approval after which fund would be allotted to DPC members and MDCs only which is a clear indication of violating the guidelines.
It also alleged chairman Lhukhosei Zou of duping the public of Chandel by misusing his power and guidelines like a dictator, a man who lacks accountability and transparency.
No social audit which is supposed to be done by Gram or Ward Sabhas in rural areas has also been done since its enactment. More over District Planning Committee (DPC) envisaged 80 % of elected members from panchayat and local body while 20% which has to be nominated by the state government preferably with experts have been avoided.
The DVC had also alleged the chairman of convening a meeting to constitute the so called Chandel district JAC on Beneficiaries of BRGF 2013-14 on January 25, 2014 at Hotel Classic Imphal.
Saying that the JAC formed on the day is an outcome of the ill design of the chairman for his vested interest, it demanded his resignation on moral ground otherwise the state government should take action against him.
Lhukhosei had never visited the DRDA office at the district head quarter but ruled over the district from Imphal like a dictator further alleged the statement.
Reacting on the statement of a beneficiary speaking on a local TV channel, the DVC stated that the speaker was not at all a beneficiary, but a present executive member of ADC/Chandel, namely, Mohring.
In this regard, it alleged the ADC chairman, MDCs and the JAC of uniting to pressure the state govt.