VCs take exception to withdrawal of money for non-existent hostel work

The village councils of Tenyiphe-I, Tenyiphe-II and Tenyiphe-III (Virazouma) have taken strong exception to report of withdrawal of Rs. 72 lakh for construction of a hostel at Tenyiphe village here.

The report was published on September 18 after Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum had highlighted the issue over double drawals.

In a joint statement, Helie Kruse, Runavilhou Kin and Videzol Natso, chairmen of the village councils of Tenyiphe-I, Tenyiphe-II and Tenyiphe-III (Virazouma) respectively, said a joint meeting of the three villages was held on October 24 on the matter.

During the meeting it was found that no such work had been taken up in any village and that no person by the name “Tepuvito Angami”, to whom the works had been allegedly awarded, exists in any of the three villages, the chairmen stated. 

The statement said the village councils have taken serious view of the matter and the government’s bid to indulge in corruption by using the village’s name. They also demanded that the government or the concerned department clarify as to where the hostel was being constructed or where the said fund had been utilized. 

“The three village councils cannot remain mute spectators to such act of the government in siphoning off such a huge amount by using our village name, and the government should let the villages know who Tepuvito Angami is and as to what he had done with the amount he had drawn using our villages’ name,” the statement demanded.

The statement also summoned Tepuvito Angami to appear before the three village councils within 15 days from the date of its publication, failing which the villages councils have threatened to initiate their our own course of action that will have unpleasant consequences in the long run.

On September last, NPRAAF had come out with a startling revelation alleging that the Finance department had issued double DAs for construction of 17 Boys/Girls hostel for Scheduled Tribe at various locations across the state, thereby doubling the expenditure from Rs. 10.03 to Rs. 20.5 crore