TURA: The Youth Congress in Meghalaya has charged the NPP-led MDA government in the state of ‘unfair’ means in the implementation of the Saubhagya power project which is aimed at 100 percent electrification of households in the villages across Garo Hills.
Youth Congress members staged a protest outside the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) office in Hawakhana, Tura, on Monday criticising the government and the power corporation alleging that the project was given at a rate higher than its tender value while implementation had been dismal.
“Why was the tender value of Rs 179 Crore for the Saubhagya project allotted for an amount of Rs 270 Crore which is 91 Crore higher than the original estimate?” questioned the Youth Congress in a statement on Monday.
The party has hit out at the ruling MDA government in the state claiming that tender was hurriedly allotted and the terms and conditions of the qualifying criteria set very high to favour certain contractors and firms.
It alleged that work came to a standstill after one firm from Garo Hills, M/S Onycon, which was contracted the work left the project midway.
The Congress has claimed that over 1000 villages in Garo Hills were meant to be covered under the Saubhagya electrification project, but even after one year of passing work have started in only 300-400 villages which are also not completed as on date. The party alleges that progress on the ground for the electrification has not gone beyond 30-40 percent.
“The whole tendering process, fixation of high qualification criteria, selection of contractors, leaving of work by M/S Onycon, delay of work progress gives a clear picture beyond reasonable doubt that the whole system of MeECL is at fault and the people of Garo Hills needs an answer for the blatant misuse of public money,” stated youth congress president Richard Marak.
Alleging purchase of substandard components and equipments by the MeECL in maintaining of power lines and transformers, the youth congress has questioned the frequent replacement of these expensive machines.
“Why do the transformers have to be replaced time and again, and why was faulty equipment installed in the first place. Is it not waste of public money?” questioned the congress.