FLYING WITHOUT WINGS
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FLYING WITHOUT WINGS
It is a well known fact that good communications and connectivity are integral pre – requisites of development. A strong infrastructure by way of communications buffers trade and commerce besides facilitating the steady flow of tourist and would be investors. This is particularly apt in a state like Meghalaya which is akin to the tourism hot spots of the world, if only impetus was given on the development of its god given natural beauty. Not being a state which is blessed with a bountiful supply of industries, Meghalaya has one thing which it can always fall back on – its tourism sector.
Undoubtedly, steps have been taken by both the Tourism Department of the state and private parties to cash in on this gift of nature. Events such as the Ranikor Beach Festival, the Autumn Festival and the Wangala Dance besides others are annual affairs which draw their fair share of both domestic and foreign visitors.
The North East region of India is notorious for its low connectivity. Steps have been taken to address this problem and one must commend those in power for their concerted efforts in this endeavour. However, in spite of undeniable advancement, this is where I have a bone to pick. This is where I need to question whether the Government of India is trying to sabotage its own ends. My case in point is the much talked about Baljek Airport which is situated in Jengjal, a village on the Tura – Guwahati highway. A glance of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India for the year ended 31st March 2009 will make even a layman question the sensibility of the people at the helm of affairs.
The Baljek Airport project was started with the object of the socio – economic development of the area and 
reliable communication with the other parts of the country. Way back in 1986 and 1989, the Government of Meghalaya had acquired a plot of land measuring 61.97 hectares (ha) at a cost of Rs. 56.18 lakh for the construction of a short take off and landing (STOL) airport at Baljek in Tura and the proposed airport was meant for operation of light 20 seater aircraft (Dronier – 228).
This plot of land was then handed over to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) in October 1989 for the execution of the project. The AAI had submitted an estimate of Rs. 7.20 crore for the project in January 1995 which was revised in September 1995) to Rs. 12.21 crore due to the change in the scope of work and cost escalation. Here, I would like to point out the glaring lapse of about six years between the handing over of the land and the submission of the estimate. I guess this is just an indication of the usual pace of work in Indian bureaucracy. In addition to this lapse of six years, an additional two years would elapse before a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was finally signed between the Government of Meghalaya and the AAI on July 1997 which stipulated the completion of the project by July 1999. Rs. 12.21 crore of which Rs 10.18 crore was from the Central fund and Rs. 2.03 crore was from the State fund was then paid to the AAI between August 1995 and September 2001.
The proposed Baljek Airport was finally completed in November 2003, with the exception of furnishing and fixtures in the terminal building but could not be made operational because the runway was inadequate for the landing of ATR-42 aircraft. The President of India herself was present at this momentous occasion to inaugurate the airport on the 23rd of October 2008. This is where one has to question the competency of the officials connected with the project. As per the findings of the CAG report, the Transport Department was aware of the inadequacy of the runway since November 2003 and in spite of this, nothing was done to address the problem. The runway, as it is right now is only feasible for Dronier type (20 seater) aircraft. Sadly, no scheduled airline operating in India has any Dronier type aircraft in operation. An additional 19.42 ha (48 acres) of land is required for the further extension of the runway to accommodate ATR type (50 seater) aircraft. What was the Transport department thinking by spending crores of rupees in building an airport for non existent aircraft?
Thus, due to ill – planning, the Baljek airport, though completed after eight years of the scheduled date of completion, remained inoperative. The possibility of operation of the airport in the near future is also highly questionable because the cost of Rs. 80 crore for the improvement and development of the existing airport estimated to be over six times of the expenditure of Rs. 12.54 crore so far incurred which is not an easy proposition for a resource wanting state. The fact that damage and deterioration has also set in due to the airport lying unutilized without maintenance will also add to the cost of operation.
With a little better planning, acknowledgement of the problems and efforts to address the same, the Baljek airport could have been completed at a minimal cost. Instead, now, the Government of Meghalaya is basically the proprietor of a showcase of sheer idiocy.
OTHER MAJOR ANOMALIES
• Only 13 per cent of the total irrigation potential had been covered till March last year.
• Against the claimed irrigation coverage of nearly 29 thousand hectares the actual coverage was only about 22 thousand hectares.
• The achievement of employment generation under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme was only 19 per cent of the target.
• Under the heading of “audit of transactions”, along with fraudulent payment of travelling allowance and leave travel concession to the MLAs totalling over Rs 2.37 crores,
• Delay in acquisition of land for Shillong bye pass resulted in ‘idle’ expenditure of Rs 7.83 crores.
• Rs 67.54 lakh for flood affected people of West Garo Hills remained “un-disbursed for four years”
• Meghalaya Urban Development Authority incurred unauthorised expenditure of Rs 2.89 crore on appointing temporary staff in excess of sanctioned strength.
D. Nampui
