Congress hits out at Silchar civic board, BJP retaliates

Special Correspondent

Silchar, June 9: Desperate to regain power, Congress leadership has become more than eager to hit at the 100 days old Silchar Municipal Board (SMB) now held by BJP. Sushmita Dev, MP and former chairperson, brought under her scathing attack the present chairman Niharendra rayan Thakur, advocate by profession, and MLA of the town Dilip Kumar Paul.

Dev alleged before the media-persons that Thakur was more busy with his profession than with the affairs of the civic body. Rs.24 crore was sanctioned by the Union Urban Development Ministry for laying down of 800 metre CC block road each for the 28 wards of the town. She even quoted the letter from the Centre vide reference K/14011/31/2014 dated April 27, 2015. And a letter on the matter was sent to the Deputy Director, Town and Country Planning, Silchar.

Sushmita Dev said SMB also acknowledged receipt of the same on May 12, 2015. It was surprising that the BJP led Board did not show any interest. In order to add more edge to her attack, she was assisted by Ajit Singh, Minister of Excise, Transport, Sports and Games. She described the road project for all the wards as her dream project. But, the indifferent attitude and non-cooperation from the BJP led Board had thrown a spanner on its implementation.

Congress MP added to say it is not easy to get sanction from the Centre. She had to do hard work for the clearance of the amount for the project. Continuing her tirade, she pointed out the Board did not even prepare detail project report (DPR) and therefore no progress could be made. Both the MP and the State Minister did not spare Dilip Kumar Paul, MLA, who scoffed at Dev as ‘mobile chairperson’ when she led the Board. Now, his party colleague Niharendra rayan Thakur could not overcome his obsession with legal practices and was more seen in the Bar than in the Board.

Taking her jibe further, Sushmita Dev called Thakur ‘absent chairman’ and ‘missing citizen’ who could in no way be called the first citizen. She challenged the present Board chairman to give her 6 months time and she would show how work could be done. Funds would not be a crunch.

Countering the allegations against him, Niharendra rayan Thakur hit back to clarify before the media on Monday. He said Sushmita and her mother Bithika Dev ran the Board for long 12 years and promised to make Silchar an ideal town to live in. Both despite all the resources made available to them being of ruling party could not bring about even a facelift of their ward no. 27, not to speak of the entire town. Should the citizens ask Sushmita what could she do in 6 months?

Rather, Thakur said she had left a debt burden of Rs.22 crore 37 lakh and 90 thousand on the heads of citizens. With Kabindra Purkayastha, former central minister and MP, Dilip Kumar Paul, MLA, and other frontline party leaders by side, Niharendra Thakur sharpening his attack said Congress which has been in power for long could not provide basic civic facilities to the people of this town. He revealed due to faulty DPR by Sushmita Dev Board, the sanction of Rs.24 crore for CC block roads in 28 wards was curtailed down to Rs.22 crore. That could also be possible due to the tireless efforts of Dilip Paul, MLA, after NDA came to power.

The implementation of this project depends upon the will and good wishes of the state government of Tarun Gogoi. Niharendra Thakur gave a blow by blow account of the debts on different heads by the previous Board. The registration and insurance of 14 vehicles and excavators was left undone and the papers were missing. He took it upon himself the task of getting registration and insurance. Dilip Paul reminded both mother Bithika Dev and daughter Sushmita Dev should go for self-alysis and retrospection before putting the blame on others.

Dilip Kumar Paul referred to another side of the anomalies during the term of Sushmita Dev. Uble to produce and submit non utilization certificates, the sanction of Rs.23.92 crore meant for development projects had gone back. This is the sad tale of how mother and daughter conducted the civic affairs after being at the helm of Board.