Unending corruption

We have been noting with a sense of grave concern that some of the departments under the State government are still fraught with corruption. Instead of elaborating our views enlisting one department after another, we like to focus on the Forest department. The department obviously tops the list among those indulging in corruption. The latest report we came across in the print media is the DFO who is allegedly in the good book of the Chief Minister issues licence for illegal transportation of the costly woods like Pyne-Xal-Segun worth crores of rupees. This blooming exercise of illegal transportation of wood has its centre at Byrnihat. It is further reported that the DFO of the East Guwahati Division carries out this business accepting fabulous amount of commission a person. It raises many an eyebrow when we read about the Assistant Conservator of Forest who is at present under suspension too is involved in this illegal act. It is crystal clear now that all illegal activities are being carried out with the fullest patronage of the officers at the helm of affairs in the department. We are still surprised that the DFO who carried out this act of illegal transportation allegedly happens to be a favourite of the Chief Minister as reported. Normally, when such a remarkable allegation is directed against any minister, a clarification is given by the department concerned. But the mentioning of 'Chief Minister' by a vernacular daily with certain tainted officers sounds cacophonic.

Ashok Bordoloi,

Dibrugarh