OUR CORRESPONDENT
DIGBOI: In what can be described as a startling turn of events, the excavator engaged in township drain construction project exposed the criminal act of underground piped-water pilferage here at Borbil No. 2 at Digboi in Assam’s Tinsukia district late on Monday evening.
“Two illegal connections along with a valve were detected on the site fetching refinery water to a private residence of one of the former PWD engineers based at Borbil village under Digboi police station.”
Upon receipt of information, a team of AOD Digboi refinery headed by General Manager Power and Utility Services rushed to the place and sealed the connections.
“The refinery operation was nearly affected for a day due to sudden disruption of water pipelines following its detection,” said a refinery official, adding that they had to manage through their emergency water reservoirs.
The local residents, including the village headman, addressed the media and alleged that the act was the possible outcome of understanding between the then top AOD officials. “We had apprised the AOD human resource department earlier but ironically the complaint was put in cold storage,” added the nearby residents.
“We have received two names including Sayed Allaudin Dullah and Sayed Junit Dullah of a family of Borbil area who have been availing the AOD piped water in an unauthorised manner at their residence by setting a valve in the active pipeline,” confirmed an AOD official of a linked department. “We will not only send him an official show cause notice but also lodge a legal complaint with the local police station,” stated a well-placed official of Digboi Refinery.
Meanwhile, no tangible action was reported against the criminal act till the time of filling the report.
It is pertinent to add here that a dedicated raw water pipeline transfers treated water from the Nazirating plant to Digboi Refinery and IOCL township through a 15 kilometre-long network of underground pipelines. However, incidents of water pilferage by residences across the oil town is nothing new though active community taps are dedicated by AOD for public utilities. The incumbent AOD management is reportedly facing a tough time to undo several deep-seated malpractices encouraged earlier by predecessors which might now invite public confrontation if immediate actions were taken.
Also Read: Dr Kuladhar Saikia’s ‘Itihasat Chakari Pheti’ staged at Numaligarh Refinery Silver Jubilee
Also Watch: