Babus behind Sristinagar township: Bora

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, June 27: Dispur MLA Atul Bora has alleged that some corrupt IAS and IPS officers are behind the move for the setting up of a township – Sristinagar – at the ecologically very sensitive area at Sunsali, Noonmati in Guwahati.

Talking to the media in Guwahati on Wednesday, Bora said: “I wrote to the Chief Minister on matters relating to Sristinagar earlier. However, a section is bent on going ahead with the construction work of the township. How come such a project comprising hundreds of bighas of land could be started without the involvement of some top babus? How have they got the permission to damage a picturesque green hillock on the bank of the Brahmaputra? How have government agencies like the GMDA, the State Forest and Environment Department and the Kamrup (M) district administration given permission to the firm to go ahead with the project, violating all environment norms? As I know, the move for this project started way back in 1980 without success, maybe, some officers scrupulously prevented it from becoming a reality. However, the lobby came out successful in 2012 with the blessing a few corrupt officers. The people of the locality want to say that some IAS and IPS officers have plots of land at Sristinagar township. Such officers visit the proposed township from time to time, besides going there for picnics. All such developments have led me to write another letter to the Chief Minister today.”

In his letter to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Bora said: “Even before the inquiry ordered by you is completed, it has come to my notice that Sristinagar Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd has started selling houses in the area. It has also come to my notice that the firm has now applied for change of its name to the authorities concerned so that it can carry out its illegal activities in another name.”

“The site where all these activities are going on is an ecologically very sensitive area and all activities by Sristinagar Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd should be stopped immediately,” Bora said in his letter.

“The government should acquire all the lands in the area, including myadi lands inside the so-called Sristinagar and declare the whole area as a green belt,” he said.

Earlier in March this year, Bora did say that Sristinagar Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd had not taken any permission for the construction of the township from the State-Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SLEIAA) and National Green Tribunal (NGT) even as such permissions were mandatory for any construction exceeding 20,000 square metres. “How could they carry out construction of the township in an area of 6,000 bighas without getting the mandatory permissions?” Bora had questioned, and added: “How could one Bulbul Choudhury, a resident of Uzan Bazar, allegedly sell 650 bighas of land to the firm?”