In order to clear any confusion in the minds of the people I would like to clarify the news item “PRESS NOTE” by E. Nmerio Shitiri, Chairman Pangti Village Council pertaining to NREGS implementation at Pangti Village, Wokha carried in the esteemed local dailies on 18th June 2009 (Nagaland Post and Morung Express).
1. As a bonafide citizen of Pangti Village in the interest of the general public of Pangti a meeting was convened on 31st May 2009 in the Village Community Hall on obtaining permission from the Chairman Pangti Village Council to discuss issues relating to NREG Scheme. Altogether 567 beneficiaries of NREG Scheme who had attended the meeting and appended signatures selected Y. Ekyimo Kikon as Adhoc Chairman for the beneficiaries. During the meeting the House resolved to approach officially the concern Department for the release of the balance amount within 20 days time. The same was executed Dated 3rd June 2009 as Adhoc Chairman on behalf of the NREGA beneficiaries.
2. In regard to the threat perception. – I Y. Ekyimo Kikon, hereby declared that the letter serving an ultimatum to withdraw the RTI application and action to be initiated on failing of withdrawal of the RTI Application signed by the Chairman and the Secretary Pangti Village Council was indeed issued to me on 5th April 2009. This may be clarified from the letter submitted to me with the said copy enclosed and address to the Hon’ble Chief Information Commissioner, Nagaland Dated 11 April 2009. “The aforesaid was an infringement of my Rights guaranteed under the Hon’ble Right To Information Act (RTI) 2005’ as a bonafide citizen of India.
3. To Quote Sl. No. 3 of the ‘PRESS NOTE’ which appeared as “self-style Adhoc Village Chairman is baseless and fabricated’ as misleading. In no point of time have I acted as Adhoc Village Chairman. This may be clarified from the letter Address to Director, Rural Development, Nagaland Kohima Dated 3rd June 2009.
To Quote the Press Note again…….. “deliberately Y. Ekyimo Kikon did not bother to see the record which are exhibited in original and instead sought information from the Department under RTI Act with malafide intention” was totally unbecoming. I humbly ask the Chairman Pangti Village Council to explain what does he meant by malafide intention and whether RTI Act 2005 can also be exercised by a citizen with malafide intention, as I am not in a position to audibly understand what he really means.
4. The Chairman, Pangti Village Council Press Note is Quoted again….. “Cash credit balance at the Bank of Baroda Wokha, Account No. 3678 is Rs. 22,16,700/- which included amount deposited by the Department after RTI Application”. The statement itself appears fishy and asks the Chairman, Pangti Village Council to explain to the public in detail on whose custody the said amount was kept and why he has to wait for the RTI Application to deposit the said amount instead of releasing it on time since belong to the public of Pangti Village. It was unfortunate to state that, When the Press Note praised the Pangti Village Council in implementation of NREG Schemes “… comes second to none in the state”, how comes the amount meant for the public of Pangti Village was not delivered in full on time.
Lastly, I request the Chairman, Pangti Village Council to clarify whether the said Press Note issued had obtained the consent of the general public of Pangti Village.
Y Ekyimo Kikon
Adhoc Chairman
For the meeting of the beneficiaries & the Public of Pangti Village
