Diphupar Community’s Chairmen Forum (DCCF) and Diphupar Village Fact Finding and Action Committee (DVFFAC) have expressed resentment against the lackadaisical attitude of Dimapur district administration towards the alleged fund misappropriation by Diphupar Village Council (DVC) and former Village Development Board (VDB) secretary, Diphupar Community.
Addressing a press conference at Seb Tower Hotel here on Monday, DCCF and DVFFAC members regretted that even after repeated pleas and representations the administration had failed to take any action against the accused.
They alleged that DVC and ex-VDB secretary had siphoned off over Rs 4 crore of village development funds, including MNREGA, since 2017, but the district administration had failed to act even after repeated pleas and representations.
DCCF and DVFFAC members also alleged that Village Council members (VCMs), GBs and VDB management committee had misappropriated Rs 1,10,50,000 meant for village development in 2017. The misappropriation included distribution of Rs 2 lakh each among 33 members of then DVC, GBs and VDB, they alleged.
After DCCF had filed a complaint, Chümoukedima EAC, in an interim order on April 30, 2018, declared the disbursement of Rs 2 lakh each amongst the VCMs, GBs and VDB members as “defective as it amounts to misuse of power for personal gain.”
The EAC in the order, copies of which were shared with the media, also directed all VCMs, GBs and VDB management committee members to “individually refund and deposit Rs 2 lakh to his office within 30 days, which would then be deposited into the account of Diphupar VDB account.
However, instead of refunding the amount individually, DCCF and FFAC alleged that DVC had deposited Rs 66 lakh by siphoning the amount from the VDB fund, thereby doubling the figure of misappropriation.
To resolve the issue amicably within the village, DCCF said a general body meeting (GBM) was convened by DVC-appointed auditors on April 15, 2019 to audit income and expenditure accounts of DVC. But, when the auditors tabled their findings in the subsequent GBM of DVC on July 2, 2019, the council did not allow the auditors’ report to be completed alleging that it was biased, the forum added.
Thereafter in the GBM, FFAC members were selected and it was decided that the “findings and recommendations of the FFAC would be final and binding.” The committee then submitted its final findings to DVC on August 24, 2019.
According to DCCF and FFAC, the total misappropriation of village funds was more than Rs 4 crore.
DCCF, FFAC and auditors lodged a complaint to Chümoukedima EAC on November 2, 2019 and urged him to take appropriate action against “DVC and ex-VDB secretary and colleagues” as, despite the findings and recommendations of FFAC, DVC and ex-VDB secretary remained adamant and that there was no likelihood of the issue being resolved within DVC and GBM.
In response, the EAC, in a letter to deputy commissioner (DC) Dimapur on November 4, 2019, said the joint complaint had “been duly examined and observed that the case is in the jurisdiction of the MGNREGA Ombudsman, Dimapur District, as mandated under section 30, schedule 1 of MGNREGA Act.”
The members mentioned that they had approached DC four times – first, on November 16 and second time in the same month – but the latter denied them audience by saying he was busy.
On their third visit, the members claimed that the DC mentioned that he would look into the representation. And during their fourth visit in the first week of January this year, DCCF and DVFFAC members said DC mentioned that he had already endorsed the case to EAC (sadar).
But when they approached the EAC (sadar), they were told that their appeal would to be taken up by SDO (sadar).
DCCF and DVFFAC said the SDO (Sadar) assured them that he would call both parties and resolve the case within one week. But, till now the matter had not been addressed, they alleged.
Decrying the attitude of the district administration, both the organisations regretted that they had been forced to go from pillar to post without getting justice.