Sikkim RTI Forum accuses SPDC of favoring hydel developers at the cost of State Exchequer

GANGTOK, 05 Jan: The Sikkim RTI Forum today alleged financial irregularity at the Energy & Power Department in the management of hydel projects. The group, at a press conference held here today, claimed that the State Exchequer has lost around Rs 2.72 crore because the Sikkim Power Department Corporation failed to raise the license processing fees due from the private hydel project developers.

Releasing details they collected from an application under the Right to Information from the Power Department and the SPDC, the Sikkim RTI Forum vice president, Ganga Ram Rai and general secretary, DK Chhettri, blamed the Accounts Section of the Department for the financial irregularity leading to the loss. The duo asserted that as per calculations done by them, private hydel developers were liable to pay a total license processing fees of Rs 5,30,15000 at a rate of Rs 10,000 per Megawatt. Rs. 2.72 crore of this amount is still outstanding, they informed.
Claiming that Gati Infrastructures and Lachung Hydro Power Project Ltd are the largest defaulters, the Sikkim RTI Forum office-bearers today demanded that the Chief Minister order a CBI probe into the whole issue.
In response to queries, they asserted that those who think that the RTI is being misused, are welcome to file separate RTI applications seeking the same information from the concerned authorities or file an FIR against the concerned RTI applicants if they suspect malicious practice by the group.
The RTI Forum has also asserted that the concerned authorities too are free to approach the courts to establish the RTI applicant’s malicious intention, if it they feel so.
While stating that the bureaucrat-politician nexus in Sikkim was very strong and stage-managing ‘insider-trading’ and ‘illegal favoritism’, the SRF general Secretary expressed the need for the general public to understand and exercise their rights. He added that with a majority of Sikkimese people living in rural areas being gullible, their voices need to be heard and their “capacity” to understand their rights enhanced.
“The main objective of the Sikkim RTI Forum is to bring to light the rampant corruption which is prevalent here and work for a positive transformation. We believe that with this right exercised in the proper manner the common man will have a clear understanding of what is happening in the government offices,” he explained.
Stressing that the Forum would seek RTIs on areas where the state government has ‘openly blundered’, Mr. Chettri added that the forum would strictly avoid filing RTIs with ‘malicious intentions’ and its members would seek information which will benefit the general public and also contribute towards curbing the corruption problem to a certain extent.
“Anyone, irrespective of their political affiliations can bring up issues for us to take forward. Everyone has a democratic right and we want to be the representatives of the people who want answers from the government. We feel that we are making some progress since we are working on larger issues rather than issues with individual interests,” stated the general secretary today.
Also present at the press conference today was the vice president, GR Rai and executive member, Suraj Sunar.