Senapati, October 25: Senapati district has come under public scrutiny after serious allegations of corruption surfaced in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). The issue took center stage at a public talk show hosted by The Times of Senapati media, organized by Youth Rise for Change, a youth-led movement against corruption. The event drew a packed audience and featured a panel of prominent speakers, igniting widespread discussion and concern.
The talk show opened with a presentation revealing alleged discrepancies between official data and ground reality. Social activist R. K. Paul Chawang presented evidence, including photographs, that pointed to a stark contrast between the government’s reported achievement of Functional Tap Household Connections (FTHC) and what he claimed was “almost zero” progress on the ground.
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Addressing the gathering, Kh. Siile Anthony, former Director (HRD) NEC, spoke about corruption in India, Manipur, and Senapati in particular. He cited concrete examples and stressed the urgent need to “break the system that perpetuates corruption,” warning that the culture of corruption continues to harm the lives of the rural poor.
Gaijinlung Thaimei, Executive Engineer (EE) of PHED, admitted there were discrepancies in the JJM project and assured that corrective measures would be taken by November 2025. However, his statement drew questions from the audience, who expressed concerns about alleged data manipulation and the merging of new project records with older ones.
Paul Chawang demanded that PHED Senapati produce audited statements, utilization certificates, bills, and vouchers related to both JJM and NDB projects. He emphasized that since both are new flagship schemes, their data cannot be merged with previous projects unless verified.
The event concluded with a strong call to action, with speakers and attendees urging the authorities to take immediate steps to ensure transparency and accountability. The audience demanded an independent investigation into the alleged scam and strict action against those responsible.
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Key Demands:
• Independent investigation into the alleged scam
• Strict action against those responsible
• Transparency in project implementation
• Provision of audited statements, utilization certificates, and other related documents
“We demand an independent investigation into the alleged scam and strict action against those responsible. The people of Senapati deserve clean water and transparency in governance.” R. K. Paul Chawang, social activist
“The fight against corruption requires collective action. We need to break the system that perpetuates corruption.” Kh. Siile Anthony, former Director (HRD) NEC