An organisation called Garo Hills Youth Solidarity (GHYS) has insisted that the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) projects in Meghalaya, especially Garo Hills, is plagued by corruption.
In a press release on Saturday, the GHYS argued against the clean chit given to the JJM implementation by Public Health Engineering Minister Marcuise Marak, claiming that there is rampant corruption by the “third party agency” in connivance with the contractors.
The third party agency, which is responsible for monitoring and supervising the JJM projects, is releasing premature payments to contractors without ensuring that the work is completed as per the detailed project reports (DPRs) and without verifying the actual completion of the work, the GHYS said.
The organisation has lodged FIRs in more than one case of this. As an example, the GHYS said that in two cases, “huge water tanks” and pipelines listed in the DPR are missing and a large number of tap connections have not been completed, yet the concerned contractors have received payment for the incomplete work.
As a result of the third party agency’s alleged lack of supervision, villagers are not receiving the benefit of the JJM even as contractors are profiting.
“Lack of inspection and monitoring is leading to a lack of accountability among contractors, resulting in substandard work, lapses, lack of transparency and inefficiency,” the GHYS said, adding that the third party agency deserves to be penalised for its “connivance in proceeds of crime and wrongdoing”.
