The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is in Drujeygang, Dagana to investigate complaints against the former Drujeygang gup.

A group of people from Drujyegang alleged the former gup of corrupt practices while carrying out works in the gewog during his tenure from 2011 to 2016.

The same group of people put up complaints to the ACC less than a year after the gup assumed the post.

The people accused the gup of misusing funds, inappropriate use of Gewog Development Grant (then known as Constituency Development Grant), violating community contract clauses and failing to carry out his responsibility.

One of the complainants said that between 2012 and 2014, a drinking water project was executed in the gewog that was supposed to benefit 140 households in two chiwogs of Patala and Pangna, including Drujyegang town residents.

He alleged that a month after the project was handed over to the water committee there was water shortage. “We immediately began finding the fault and found that the gup had used inferior quality pipes to draw water.”

He also claimed that owing to that, Drujyegang town and the two chiwogs are facing acute water shortage for the last two months.

The gup was also alleged of improper planning that led to wasting government funds.

The complaint letter to ACC states that in the 11th Plan, a huge quantity of water was drawn for irrigation purpose from the same source.

It is stated that although a contractor carried out the irrigation works, only the gup benefitted from the project, as he has about seven-acre land prepared for mass vegetable growing near the irrigation water reservoir. “The water was supposed to come to a dried up lake, which remains fenced below the reservoir and distribute to the 40 households but it never happened.

It is also stated that while the project has not benefitted the public, the water from the reservoir overflows into a private land and has created an artificial lake. “Moreover no farmers in Patala have paddy field and the irrigation project was expected to benefit them in growing vegetable, cardamom, orange and to meet other water needs.”

The project funded through Small Development Project was completed at a cost of over Nu 3M.

According to the complaint submitted to the ACC, the gup was also accused of misusing a Nu 80,000 fund he received as compensation for tsamdro. A Drujeygang resident claimed that instead of handing the money to the tsamdro owners, the gup was also accused of giving the money to his relative.

Following several complaints from the group since 2012, the ACC is currently investigating the case.

Meanwhile, the accused, former gup Thinley Wangchuk, said the group has lodged the complaint since 2012 and the dzongkhag officials also verified the allegation at least seven times.

He said the group has made 27 allegations against him initially.

He said that his conscience is clear and that as far as he is concerned, he carried out all the works in line with the laws. “Since ACC is investigating, the truth will come out.”

Nirmala Pokhrel |  Drujyegang