ACAUT has categorically slammed the Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) for introducing the “tender permits” system on essential commodities, stating that it was only encouraging a syndicate system. ACAUT media cell in a press release questioned the KMC administrator as to why the so-called ‘tender permits’ were issued to “few moneyed individuals, thereby abusing the system shamelessly”.
“Unless of course the Administrator, KMC, the top officials in the Municipal Affairs Department, or the parliamentary secretary have been compromised, there is no ground for issuance of tender permits and allowing a handful of individuals to monopolise one of the biggest markets in the state”, ACUAT alleged. ACAUT has sought immediate clarification from the KMC administrator to make known “as to who was behind this, trying to introduce syndicate system”. Failing to clarify on the matter, ACAUT said the KMC establishment shall not be above suspicion of having compromised itself. ACAUT further said it supported the stand of the KVYO, giving 7 days time to KMC to revoke all the illegal permits.
Stating that the ‘tender permits’ and ‘agencies’ were nothing but illegal monopolies, it alleged that the ‘agency system’ prevalent in Tuensang was another notable example of how the DCs or the district administration in the districts have become indifferent to the cries of the common man either due to fear, lack of integrity, or simply because of individual incompetence.
The demand of Tuensang Town All Ward Union (TTAWU) to the DC to cancel of all ‘agency systems’ was justified and long overdue, it added. It said the ‘agency system’ in Tuensang was in existence for a long time, but none of the successive DCs have had the guts to stop the malpractice with an iron hand. ACAUT in this regard appealed the present DC, Tuensang to strictly abide by the rules and regulations and arrest the practitioners of the agency system without fear or favour. ACAUT further said it was willing to give out that names of the agency holders to the DC, if need be, for prompt action.