The South West Garo Hills unit of the A’chik Conscious Holistically Integrated Krima (ACHIK) has flagged alleged misappropriation of public funds amounting to Rs 69 lakh by the MDC and contractor.
ACHIK said today that it had carried out “field verification” of civil works. Through a Right to Information (RTI) request, ACHIK said that Zikzak MDC Akhtar Ali had received “substantial” sums of money through various schemes but “without any corresponding execution of work on the ground”.
This points to a “severe case of corruption and misuse of public funds,” the pressure group added.
The three projects it flagged centred on a playground where earth filling (Rs 25 lakh), wall construction (Rs 19 lakh) and building of five toilets (Rs 25 lakh) at Silkona in Mahendraganj were meant to take place.
These projects were funded under the 15th Finance Commission for 2021-2022, ACHIK said.
“Ali’s failure to execute the promised work despite receiving significant funds indicates a clear misappropriation of public money. This mismanagement undermines the intended purpose of the allocated funds, which are meant for the betterment of society or specific projects,” it said in the letter to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council’s Chief Executive Member. “The absence of executed work raises questions about the accountability mechanisms within the organisation. It highlights a failure in oversight, where individuals entrusted with public resources are not being held accountable for their actions. This lack of accountability can perpetuate corruption and erode public trust in institutions.”
