Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Jul 13: Former Itanagar Municipal Council (IMC) Ward 18 councillor Gora Lotak has alleged that funds meant for implementation of the Individual Household Latrine (IHHL) Scheme under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2015-16 in Itanagar and Naharlagun have not been utilized by the IMC till date.
Addressing journalists at the press club here this afternoon, Lotak claimed that an estimated fund of Rs 267.24 crore sanctioned and distributed under the SBM for construction of IHHLs by the IMC was misappropriated.
“Funds were released in 2015. However, despite completion of three years, the scheme is yet to be implemented in the municipal wards of Itanagar and Naharlagun. In all other districts of the state, work under the scheme were properly implemented and executed in the same year and utilization certificates issued.
The beneficiaries under the Itanagar and Naharlagun municipal wards have been unjustly deprived,” Lotak claimed.
He also alleged that the IMC submitted utilization certificates to the urban development & housing department without carrying out any actual construction work against the scheme.
“There are over 20,000 IHHL beneficiaries in Itanagar and Naharlagun who have been deprived of the benefits under the scheme. Every year, a huge amount, exceeding crores of rupees, is released for development activities under various schemes, but non-implementation on the part of the agency concerned adversely affects the common citizens,” claimed the former councillor.
Demanding immediate suspension of officials allegedly involved in the delay in work implementation, Lotak sought constituting of a special investigation team to inquire into the alleged misappropriation of funds under the IMC.
Lotak had earlier in a letter to the governor requested to him to direct the authority concerned to implement said funds in Itanagar and Naharlagun with immediate effect.
