The Garo Students Union’s Pedaldoba regional unit has written to the Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills to demand a magisterial inquiry into the tenure of Benedic Marak when he was Chief Executive Member of the GHADC.
In its letter, the GSU stated that crores of rupees were “scammed” and there were a great number of “ghost projects” in Raksamgre constituency, according to Right to Information (RTI) findings.
The examples the GSU cited were the same that the Garoland State Movement Committee referenced in a separate letter last month.
These comprise a sanction in 2018-19 of Rs 1 crore for two cement bridges in Katongre (built like a hanging footbridge) and Napakgre (where work has stopped).
In 2019-20, a sanction of more than Rs 51.74 lakh for 31 ring wells and 10 other projects was made but no work “has been seen in the area from these schemes,” Sangma said.
Also in 2019-20, Rs 1.25 crore was sanctioned for various projects, of which Rs 19.4 lakh was for the construction of Ganarugre Community Hall, work on which has yet to begin.
Another Rs 19.4 lakh in 2019-20 was allotted for the construction of a timber bridge to connect Banglapara to Noyapara. This, Sangma said, is a ghost project as the money has been withdrawn but no work carried out. A further Rs 30.07 lakh for another bridge at Rabhagre has yet to see any work begin.
He claimed that another Rs 13 lakh for a bridge over the Daljong stream from Gondagre to Dabangre has been siphoned off.
