Dimapur, July 19 (MExN): Apropos the clarification issued by Additional Director (HoD), Directorate of School Education (DoSE), Kohima on the mismanagement of Mid Day Meal (MDM) funds amounting to more than Rs 73 crore, the RTI applicants who had released information regarding the misuse expressed surprise that the HoD “merely pointed out certain areas of expenditure without coming to a particular amount out of such expenditures.”
A counter rejoinder issued by Kitoho S. Rotokha on behalf of the RTI applicants stated that only after bringing the final total amount of all expenditures which were “not accounted” for as mentioned by the DoSE, will the issue of more than Rs 73 crore be clear. “As long as the break-up expenditures are not provided in detail, the issue of missing amount will remain unanswered,” it added.
The RTI applicants were further surprised the Additional Director, being the HoD, “without taking moral responsibility for not furnishing all such details to RTI applicants by the PIO, had to blame the applicants for ‘giving incomplete information and confusing the general public of the state and all the stakeholders’.”
The RTI applicants, the rejoinder said, had brought out the issue based on the limited information provided by the DoSE and Finance Department and hence, termed it “preposterous” for the Additional Director to come up with such clarification blaming the former SKK leaders (the five RTI applicants).
It maintained that the Department was rather trying to conceal the facts thus giving rise to more questions of mismanagement within the Department. “Else, the RTI applicants see no reason why the facts have to be concealed in the first place. Only after the issue was placed in public domain, the DoSE is opening up in the form of rejoinder with the hope of gaining clean chit from the public.”
Stating that such “tactful play” will hold no water now since the matter is already under investigation by the Vigilance Commission, the RTI applicants appealed to the Vigilance Commission to meticulously investigate the issue and dig out all anomalies at the earliest.
