CLP Leader says important documents, records were destroyed
Dimapur, August 5 (MExN): Important documents, orders and records concerning appointments in the School Education department were destroyed, the Nagaland Congress unit said today. The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) issued a statement today with more questions over the Nagaland Government’s way of confronting the “bogus teachers” issue. Among other things the CLP pointed out was the man behind all the appointments – the minister who was in charge when the corrupt appointments were being ‘approved’ – and not just the small fries, departmental functionaries.
On November 16, 2005 the director of School Education issued a circular directing all section officers and section in-charge that a good number of files and papers were lying in the office corridor and rooms for months together “which do not look very decent.” ‘All section officers were requested to detail some senior staff to check and sort out the important papers like post creation, government notifications, confirmation of post appointment orders among others from “those old records and hand over to the Record Keeper for safe custody after obtaining proper receipt from him for record on or before 19-11-05.
As these files are to be disposed/ burnt,’ the CLP statement said. The statement was appended by CLP leader Tokheho Yepthomi.
“What prompted the than director of School Education to destroy the files of the department is a serious matter before the people of Nagaland,” the Congress said. The party also referred to the March 20, 2010 statement of the then Director of School Education Nipusilie Angami in a local daily that he was not involved in the appointment of the bogus teachers and he had “done as per the ‘Approval of the Government’.
The Congress asked the government this question: “Who gave the approval and who was the Minister in charge? Who is responsible for creating all these irregularities and corruption?”
From 2002 up to March 2009 the government had spent Rs. 169.33 crore on this dubiously appointed lot. “The so called doubtful teachers are appointed with the approval of the Government. Now the question is who was the Minister in charge of education department when all these irregularities took place? The state Cabinet cannot decide on re-appointment of teachers unless action is taken against the Minister and the official involved in the scam.
The Congress retraced the event surrounding the ‘bogus teachers’ appointments. The Special Investigation Team of the Vigilance Commission submitted its report to the government on February 26, 2010. They found ‘bogus teachers’ (1,156), ‘doubtful teachers’ (1,096) and ‘absent teachers’ (1,084) while genuine teachers were only 2,806.
From 2002 to March 2009 the department of School Education appointed 6, 141 teachers. According to the SIT report, the salary drawn by the 1156 bogus teachers at Rs 9000 comes to Rs 1, 04, 94,000 per month, and the salary drawn by the 1096 absent teachers comes to Rs 97, 56, 00 per month. Altogether, the salary drawn by 2240 teachers (bogus and the ‘absentees’) comes to Rs 24.19 crore per annum.
“The School Education department is one of the most corrupt departments as the minister in-charge of the department has even taken money from the Grant-In-Aid fund. The doubtful teachers of 1,096 posts were all sold by the department which is an open secret,” the Congress reminded.
‘Govt hid Deptt officials under the carpet’
The Congress referred to the July, 2010 state Budget session. The government placed the than Director of School Education under “house arrest” just to avoid criticism during the Assembly Session. “After assembly session the house arrest of the than director was lifted and allowed to retire peacefully and treated the suspension period as on duty. Suspension of government employees in Nagaland is not a punishment but a holiday for them,” the Congress reminded.
After the SIT submitted its report, the government set up a committee headed by Commissioner & Secretary of School Education Mathung Kithan. The committee submitted its report within the stipulated time and recommended suspension of Nipusilie Angami, Director and two others. However, the Congress said except for the Director of School Education, others were given promotion and posted to other department.
On November 16, 2005 the director of School Education issued a circular directing all section officers and section in-charge that a good number of files and papers were lying in the office corridor and rooms for months together “which do not look very decent.” ‘All section officers were requested to detail some senior staff to check and sort out the important papers like post creation, government notifications, confirmation of post appointment orders among others from “those old records and hand over to the Record Keeper for safe custody after obtaining proper receipt from him for record on or before 19-11-05.
As these files are to be disposed/ burnt,’ the CLP statement said. The statement was appended by CLP leader Tokheho Yepthomi.
“What prompted the than director of School Education to destroy the files of the department is a serious matter before the people of Nagaland,” the Congress said. The party also referred to the March 20, 2010 statement of the then Director of School Education Nipusilie Angami in a local daily that he was not involved in the appointment of the bogus teachers and he had “done as per the ‘Approval of the Government’.
The Congress asked the government this question: “Who gave the approval and who was the Minister in charge? Who is responsible for creating all these irregularities and corruption?”
From 2002 up to March 2009 the government had spent Rs. 169.33 crore on this dubiously appointed lot. “The so called doubtful teachers are appointed with the approval of the Government. Now the question is who was the Minister in charge of education department when all these irregularities took place? The state Cabinet cannot decide on re-appointment of teachers unless action is taken against the Minister and the official involved in the scam.
The Congress retraced the event surrounding the ‘bogus teachers’ appointments. The Special Investigation Team of the Vigilance Commission submitted its report to the government on February 26, 2010. They found ‘bogus teachers’ (1,156), ‘doubtful teachers’ (1,096) and ‘absent teachers’ (1,084) while genuine teachers were only 2,806.
From 2002 to March 2009 the department of School Education appointed 6, 141 teachers. According to the SIT report, the salary drawn by the 1156 bogus teachers at Rs 9000 comes to Rs 1, 04, 94,000 per month, and the salary drawn by the 1096 absent teachers comes to Rs 97, 56, 00 per month. Altogether, the salary drawn by 2240 teachers (bogus and the ‘absentees’) comes to Rs 24.19 crore per annum.
“The School Education department is one of the most corrupt departments as the minister in-charge of the department has even taken money from the Grant-In-Aid fund. The doubtful teachers of 1,096 posts were all sold by the department which is an open secret,” the Congress reminded.
‘Govt hid Deptt officials under the carpet’
The Congress referred to the July, 2010 state Budget session. The government placed the than Director of School Education under “house arrest” just to avoid criticism during the Assembly Session. “After assembly session the house arrest of the than director was lifted and allowed to retire peacefully and treated the suspension period as on duty. Suspension of government employees in Nagaland is not a punishment but a holiday for them,” the Congress reminded.
After the SIT submitted its report, the government set up a committee headed by Commissioner & Secretary of School Education Mathung Kithan. The committee submitted its report within the stipulated time and recommended suspension of Nipusilie Angami, Director and two others. However, the Congress said except for the Director of School Education, others were given promotion and posted to other department.
