Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 19 Sep: The state government has given approval to the Special Investigation Cell (SIC) of the vigilance department to probe into the alleged illegal appointment of 125 junior engineers (JE) in the PWD in 2016.
This was informed by members of the All Arunachal RTI Activists Association (AARTIAA) in a press conference held here on Tuesday.
The AARTIAA had been demanding an investigation into the appointment of more than 125 JEs “who were on the waiting list,” saying that “the appointment flouted all the recruitment rules.”
The association also alleged that “the appointment was nothing but a cash-for-job scam.”
It claimed that “illegal appointments were made by the board members, including the then PWD SE Techi Ratu, Mines Deputy Secretary T Koniya, the then Naharlagun division EE Techi Nabo and the executive engineer of Pakke-Kessang.”
During the press conference, the AARTIAA members expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister Pema Khandu-led government for approving the SIC investigation against the illegal appointment.
“This is indeed very good news for the people of Arunachal, especially the unemployed youths. We appreciate the chief minister for approving the investigation,” said ‘issue chairman’ Nabam Tapak.
Tapak appealed to all the illegally appointed JEs to resign or surrender their posts, “or else they will end up in jail.”
The RTI activists further claimed that they are being “pressurised and threatened” by the illegally appointed JEs and the then superintendent engineer.
“We are being pressurised from JEs and then superintendent engineer. Our lives are under threat. If anything happens to any of the RTI activist members, Techi Rotu and illegally appointed JEs would be held responsible,” he said.
