On February 26, the High Court had directed the two State governments to reply within four weeks in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by former Chief Minister (late) E K Mawlong’s son George B Lyngdoh.
In the PIL, Mr Lyngdoh pointed out that the RGGVY was not implemented in the villages of Ummat, Pdengtleit, Umru, Jatalong, Khlieh Umwang, Madan Umwang, Sabuda, Umsder, Umtlieh, Umlaper and Umleh, which are said to be under Umsning Community and Rural Development Block under Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district.
”The 11 villages were part of the several villages categorised as beneficiaries of the RGGVY by the Meghalaya State Electricity Board (MeSEB), which has been entrusted with the responsibility of execution of electrification of villages and rural households in all the districts of Meghalaya under the scheme, but till date the said scheme has not been implemented in these villages,” the PIL stated.
Unfortunately, Mr Lyngdoh said, ”To the utter disgust of the residents of the villages, no work whatsoever has been executed in the villages under the RGGVY, even though the deadline for completing the scheme has been fixed as September 27, 2009.” The RGGVY scheme was specifically approved and sanctioned by the Centre for implementation in the above villages by the State of Meghalaya and its implementing agency, the MeSEB.
The RGGVY was initiated by the Union Ministry of Power in April 2005 to provide electricity for all rural households, including free electricity connections to families living below the poverty line, in five years.