Imphal, July 27 2009: Opposition member O Joy and leader Radhabinod Koijam today grilled the Power Minister Phungzathang Tonsing in the Manipur Assembly for his failure to table the report on the case filed under the Manipur Public Servants' Personal Liability Act, 2006 involving misappropriation of Rs 17 crore in the Electricity Department, Government of Manipur.

Just a few minutes before the last day of the ongoing session of Manipur Legislative Assembly was adjourned sine die, MLA O Joy of MPP reminded the Speaker that the Power Minister had earlier assured the House that the report will be tabled before the discussion on Appropriation Bill on power.

However, the Minister has failed to table the report.

O Joy said, the Manipur Public Servants' Personal Liability Act, 2006 was formulated by the Manipur Legislative Assembly to check and take action on any wrong doing by officials and Ministers.

It clearly says that if a case is taken under this Act, the report must be submitted within two months.

In case the report cannot be submitted within two months, it cannot be delayed no longer than another month.

The leader of MPP Legislature Wing further said that the scandal of misappropriation of Rs 17 crore by the Electricity Department is about to be one and a half years old.

But why has not the report been table in the House till now, Joy asked.

After listening to the Opposition Member, Power Minister Phungzathang Tonsing replied that he himself has searched for the related files as much as he could.

He later found that the files relating to the case have been in the custody of the High Level Officers' Committee.

Therefore, he is unable to table the report in the House, the Minister said.

O Joy then rose to his feet and asked if the High Level Officers' Committee had the power to invalidate a legislation that was formulated and passed by the House.

Since the Chief Secretary is the chairman of the Committee, he has neglected the legislation.

This is a big crime.

Therefore, whether the report sould be tabled in the House within a stipulated time or a House Committee should examine the High Level Officers' Committee.

A choice must be made by the House, the senior Opposition Member said.

Supporting the suggestion of O Joy, Opposition leader Radhabinod Koijam appealed to the leader of the House to look into the matter and find the file which is said to be under the care of the Chief Secretary and table the report within a definite period.

Even then, Power Minister Tonsing said, some vested interests and those who are trying to make personal gains were just pushing it.

It looks like it will take some more time in getting the papers.

Let the High Level Officers' Committee work independently.

However, he himself is not involved in the controversy, Tonsing said and added that the amount said to have been misappropriated remains in tact.

Opposition members O Joy, Radhabinod Koijam and Th Shyamkumar strongly objected to the Minister's replies and charged that the Minister was trying to cover up something.

Finally, the leader of the House, Chief Minister O Ibobi assured the Opposition bench that he would try to get the related files and arrange for the members concerned to study them through the Speaker.

Comment