Is Vigilance Department sleeping ?
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Delhi, April 25 2012: Even though the Vigilance Department/Commission has taken up many cases related to corruption and made recommendation to the State government for necessary action, the Department has kept silent over other related cases, compelling the people to raise question over its quiescent attitude.

At least half the amount of Rs 291.34 lakhs accorded by DoNER Ministry under the project 'Renovation of Panthoibi Emporium in Emporia Complex in New Delhi' has been reportedly misused but Vigilance Department/Commission has been caught napping.

People who have visited the Emporium recently informed Hueiyen Lanpao that as a part of renovation project some of the floors have been marbled, the walls white washed, the sanitary utensils in the washrooms replaced, electrical wires replaced, the stair cases carpeted with tiles and the doors repaired.

However, work on repairing of the defunct lift and other necessary renovations have not yet been done.

At the most, the completed renovation works may cost around Rs 30-40 lakhs and the remaining fund has been misused.

According to a reliable source, the tender for the renovation project of Panthoibi Emporium located inside the Emporium complex at New Delhi at an estimated cost of Rs 291.34 lakhs had not been advertised through any newspapers under Manipur State Advertising Policy.

But Principal Secretary (Commerce & Industry) O Nabakishore directly handled the renovation works with his assistant H Akachandra, who is a Security Guard Assistant working under Parliament Security Service.

Both of them frequently visited the site for inspection of the workers and the progress of the work.

Reports reaching Hueiyen Lanpao further stated that there are six floors including a basement in Manipur Emporium.

The Basement, Ground Floor and the first floor which have entry from ground floor through staircase are business area.

In the Basement, half of the area is occupied by M/S Raw Silk Emporia dealing in raw silks from Madhya Pradesh and Bihar and it is owned by a non-Manipuri.

Surprisingly, the sight of Manipuri silk, which is famous for its high quality, owing to which Japan has even funded a project on sericulture, is nowhere to be found in the Manipur Emporium.

Again, adding to the sorry state, half of the area on the right side of the ground floor has been occupied by two Non-Manipuri traders based in Delhi.

M/s Lotus Arts, which is dealing in brass items of Hindu idols and Hindu ceremony, welcomes people at the entrance of the Manipur Emporium, giving wrong impression that all the Manipuris are followers of Hinduism and they do not have any religion of their own to the people visiting the Emporium.

The fact that Manipuris are worshippers of Sanamahi Laining and Christians have not been reflected in the Emporium at all.

The other, M/s Suman Enterprises dealing in garments made in Rajasthan also is seen selling Rajasthani traditional and cultural clothes.

It has been further revealed that these non-Manipuri traders who sell non-Manipuri products have been given permission by Managing Director of Manipur Handloom & Handicraft Corporation Ltd W Nilamani of Nongmeibung and Principal Secretary (Commerce & Industries) O Nabakishore of Ningthoukhong, without taking the approval of State Cabinet.

Only a few Manipuri traders are occupying small spaces in the Emporium selling Manipuri products.

MLA Prithviraj, who visited Manipur Emporium recently, was surprised to see the renovation work and stated that the amount of Rs 291.34 lakhs would be more than enough for construction of another Manipur Emporium in Delhi, sources said.

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