Letter from the Editor-In-Chief
Letter from the Editor-In-Chief
September 2010
It seems like everywhere you turn today, you hear about the Great PDS Scam which was unearthed in Arunachal Pradesh to which one of the most recognisable stalwarts of the region Mr. Gegong Apang has been linked. This multi billion dollar scam as such has been featured as Eastern Panorama’s cover story in this issue.
Mr. Gegong Apang, one of the longest serving Chief Ministers of the country and a veteran Congress leader of Arunachal Pradesh is no stranger to the news through his long political career. However, I feel that the recent barrage of publicity which he has experienced is something he would rather do without for the simple fact that when it comes to publicity, it can’t get more negative than what he is facing right now. A reputation of helping people and meeting anyone, irrespective of caste or creed at even odd hours of the night had kept this charismatic leader in positive light. The results of a Public Interest Litigation filed by Bamang Anthony (Tago), President of Arunachal Citizens’ Rights (ACR) and public leader Domin Loya have however utterly destroyed this reputation which has been nurtured over a period of over two decades. With a revelation that grabbed headlines, it is alleged that the former Chief Minister has a major role in one of the biggest scams that have been uncovered in the country till date. It is yet to be ascertained as to whether Gegong Apang is himself personally responsible or if he has been targeted as a scapegoat. Questions abound as to why he has been selectively persecuted in spite of the well known fact that many officers, bureaucrats, businessmen and other politicians were involved in this scam.
The huge scam which has come to light only reflects how corrupt our system is, where the best intended schemes become sources of revenue for politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen.
The extent to which the corruption runs can be understood in the example provided in the article which, refering to the supply of salt under PDS in Damin, a revenue circle in Kurung Kumey district says, ‘As per the 2001 census, the circle had a population of 2,784, and records showed that every individual consumed at least 24 kg of iodized salt per month in 2004. Another instance: In Koloriang circle in the same district, roughly 4,800 persons were shown as having consumed 3,080 quintals of rice every month in 2004, which comes to 64 kg per person per month.’
As the saying goes, ‘When the cat is away, the mice are at play and I wonder what the proverbial cat was doing while all this was going on. Surely some authority should have noticed this tell tale anomaly. It is no wonder that it is commonly said that the North East region is secluded and ‘a mystery’. For all we know, people in ‘mainland’ India must be under the impression that there are giants living in Arunachal Pradesh for them to sanction 24 kilos of iodized salt and 64 kilos of rice per person per month for a whole year.