MNF members meet Guv over CADC affairs

Opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) of Chakma Autonomous District today met Mizoram governor Lt General Nirbhay Sharma and demanded immediate dissolution of Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) executive council alleging "massive corruption" by it.
Talking to media persons after meeting Sharma, MNF delegation member Rasik Mohan Chakma said the governor assured the delegation of appropriate action.
Documents relating to the charges were also submitted to the governor.
Chakma alleged that the executive committee appointed 290 people in different posts ranging from gazetted officers to group 'd' employees without advertisements and without even conducting written tests and interviews since 2013.
"Many of such appointments were back-dated to have retrospective effect for which the CADC lost Rs 87.37 lakh public money," he said adding that most of those appointed were close relatives of top leaders of CADC executive committee.

The MNF delegates alleged that there was misuse of large sums of money from various funds of CADC like contingency fund, employees' pension contributory fund and local receipts (collection of taxes and non-tax revenues).

Citing instances, they alleged that former chief executive member Buddha Lila Chakma awarded contract work of Rs 50.88 lakh to his wife Sujata Chakma and signed the work order himself.
They also cited several cases where wives and other relatives of executive members (EMs) and members of district council (MDC) were awarded government contracts worth lakhs of rupees. Among them was former CADC CEM and now minister of state B D Chakma's wife and sister-in-law who were awarded contract worth Rs ten lakh each.

There were some construction works where crores of rupees were spent without executing any real work, Chakma alleged adding the facts would emerge if the state governor, who has discretionary power over the autonomous district councils under the sixth schedule of Constitution, constituted an inquiry commission.