Just days after a junior engineer from PWD was arrested for accepting bribe by the special investigation cell (SIC), now a group of contractors from Likabali in Lower Siang district have filed an FIR at SIC against the assistant engineer and junior engineer of PWD Likabali subdivision accusing them of demanding ‘commission’ to clear the contractors’ bills.
There is no denying that both incidents have caused massive embarrassment to the state government because it has, time and again, insisted for clean governance.
The SIC should properly investigate the case and unearth the truth.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu is very vocal against corruption. During his tenure as the CM whenever there has been a major corruption scandal, his government has given a free hand to the agencies to investigate the case. While there is a political will at the top level to curb corruption, the ground reality seems to be quite different.
The percentage culture continues to be endemic. Often contractors allege that they have to pay a hefty percentage to get their bills cleared. This is becoming such a big threat to the overall development of the state. If at all the percentage culture is to end, the state government will have to take strong action against those involved in such immoral acts. Such action will send out a strong message to the criminals within the system who indulge in rampant percentage collection.