APW moots ‘rehabilitation’ centres for corrupt officials
GUWAHATI: City-based NGO, Assam Public Works has sought the chief minister’s intervention into the alleged irregularities in the Assam irrigation department and immediate action against “corrupt” officials in the department.
“There have been a couple inquiries already instituted into irregularities in the department carried out by executive engineer, Maneswar Deka but nothing has happened. Therefore we have submitted a memorandum to the chief minister on June 7 requesting him to direct the vigilance and anti-corruption department to institute a probe into the anomalies in the department,” APW president, Aabhijeet Sharma said while addressing media persons here on Saturday.
APW had submitted two memoranda to the chief engineer, irrigation department earlier this year, yet no tangible action has been initiated.
“So, we appeal that a probe be instituted and if found guilty, the official should be removed from his post or else the department and the new recruits in the department will suffer,” Sharma said.
“We also request the state government to open rehabilitation centres for corrupt officials who habitually repeat such offences, much like drug addicts and alcoholics who have been rehabilitated in the past. This can be a solution to eradicate corruption from the system especially at a time when the government has advocated zero tolerance in regard to graft,” he said.
Pointing out the latest such irregularity, Sharma said an advertisement had appeared regarding a tender for maintenance and repair works (amounting Rs 1.49 crore approx.) of irrigation office buildings on May 27, 2019, but ironically, work under five of the 15 overheads has been already completed.
“It is rather astonishing that the work for the 15 overheads would be decided after opening the tender on June 10, 2019, when the reality is that most of the repair works have been completed. We have photographic evidence in this regard,” he said
The NGO said it would for the second time file a case in the criminal investigation department of Assam police in this regard on Monday. “We want that the said tender be cancelled or else it would another instance of graft in the department gone unnoticed,” Sharma said.