Shillong, April 24: Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Urban Affairs Sniawbhalang Dhar has denied financial irregularities in the implementation of Laitumkhrah Municipal Market redevelopment project.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Dhar said, ““If somebody is asking for RTI they have to reply to him. If he finds fault, he can go further, there is no issue but the fact is that there are no such financial irregularities,” Dhar told reporters on Thursday.
RTI activist Napoleon Mawphniang recently sought the intervention of Governor CH Vijayashankar and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma for a CBI probe into financial irregularities in the redevelopment project of the Laitumkhrah Municipal Market.
Dhar said the project is still under construction and there is no question of financial irregularities.
The RTI activist had alleged financial irregularities, procedural violations, conflict of interest, and environmental non-compliance of the project.
Another allegation is about corruption and mismanagement that resulted in a 36.8% increase in project costs and a delay of over four years.
The government is assessing the structural safety of the project by an expert committee and recovery of excess payments made to the contractors.
The activist pointed out that the RTI findings revealed that the principal contractor, M/s Collinstar Sawkmie, is the father of Sports & Youth Affairs Minister, Shakliar Warjri
The project was initially awarded in April 2020 for Rs 25.73 crore but the price escalated to Rs 35.21 crore through multiple revisions and adjustments.
“The contract was awarded in April 2020 and the site was handed over to the contractor only in September 2021l. The project, originally scheduled for completion remains unfinished.
The activist said the involvement of M/s Shrolenson Marbaniang, linked to an ex-chairman of Meghalaya Government Construction Corporation, demonstrates how political connections are leveraged to secure and manipulate government contracts.
