Activist calls for probe into anomalies in Legal Metrology department & misuse of central scheme
- Weighing News
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Activist and advocate Napoleon Mawphniang has called for probe into anomalies in Legal Metrology department and serious financial Irregularities, document manipulation, and fund misappropriation in the Implementation of PMKSY-WDC 2.0 Scheme in Lamalong Village, Ri-Bhoi District.
In separate letters addressed to the Governor, Chief Minister and others, the activist said as far as legal metrology is concerned, the systemic failures represent not merely administrative oversights but a fundamental abdication of statutory responsibility that undermines the rule of law and jeopardizes public interest. “The department’s failure to observe basic procedural safeguards in legal metrology enforcement threatens the liberty of fair commercial exchange”, he said.
Stating that there is a measurement fraud, Mawphniang said there is a need to initiate a comprehensive investigation into the department’s functioning, with particular focus on violations.
There is a need to establish a monitoring mechanism to ensure sustained compliance with statutory obligations, the activist said, adding the authorities should take appropriate disciplinary action against officials responsible for the systematic non-enforcement of legal metrology provisions.
"The people of Meghalaya deserve a Legal Metrology Department that fulfills its statutory mandate with diligence, integrity, and transparency”, he said.
Regarding the alleged manipulations of central scheme of PMKSY in Lamalong, Napolion said the pattern of reducing the official budget while inflating reported expenditures is evident across multiple components, including production system and livelihood, suggesting deliberate financial misreporting.
The headman’s document introduces 27 additional names for ginger cultivation and 31 for farm equipment, with no corresponding work IDs or supporting records, diluting the benefit pool and facilitating misappropriation.
Several works marked “Completed” in the RTI record were changed to “Ongoing” in the headman’s document, with remarks such as “Prior Work Status (Oversight): Completed, Correct Work Status: Ongoing.” This appears to be a device to justify fund retention or diversion, he said.
He said unexplained deduction of 10% from beneficiary payments needs proper scrutiny.