OUR Correspondent
Haflong : Bapojit Langthasa, leader of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) Dima Hasao Committee, has raised serious allegations of corruption within the PWD Road of Haflong Division in Dima Hasao. According to Langthasa, numerous projects are being executed by the department without publicizing the tender notices, effectively shutting out potential contractors.
Langthasa claimed that many contractors in the district are being unfairly excluded from the bidding process, with works being secretly awarded to selected contractors. He also stated that he had filed a Right to Information (RTI) application to obtain details about the projects undertaken by the department but received no response.
In a shocking turn of events, Langthasa alleged that when he contacted PWD Executive Engineer Nuruz Zaman Ahmed to request a copy of the ‘Notice Inviting Tender’ letter, the engineer refused, stating that such a document couldn’t be provided.
This incident has raised questions about transparency and accountability within the PWD department. Langthasa pointed out that if tender notices are not publicly circulated, contractors cannot participate in the bidding process, rendering the term ‘inviting’ in ‘Notice Inviting Tender’ meaningless.
Furthermore, Langthasa alleged that many projects in the district are being awarded in advance, with tender notices issued retroactively, depriving other contractors of fair opportunities. Sources suggest that this practice is widespread across departments in Dima Hasao, with favoured contractors receiving work orders in advance due to their connections with department officials or political links.
This is not the first time the PWD department has faced corruption allegations. In 2023, Executive Engineer Manuj Kumar Saikia was caught accepting a bribe of Rs. 10,000, leading to the seizure of over Rs. 45 lakhs in cash from his residence and office. Similarly, in September last year, Executive Engineer Biraj Kumar Bhattacharjee was removed from his position after a phone call recording of him demanding a large sum from a contractor went viral on social media.
The AAP’s allegations have brought attention to the need for transparency and accountability within the PWD department. The people of Dima Hasao deserve fair and corruption-free governance.
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