Jorhat MLA mulls installing complaint box in offices

From a Correspondent

JORHAT, June 18: The newly-elected MLA of Jorhat, Hitendra th Goswami is mulling the idea of a complaint box in every government office to check corruption. This was announced by the MLA during an interaction programme with jourlists of print and electronic media in the Jorhat Press Club on Saturday.

However, the whole idea of the complaint box concept is likely to be a flop because the general notion among the people is that the BJP, which came to power by promising to bring in change, would act tough and deliver justice by redressing their grievances, whether related to corruption in land acquisition of four-lane lane project, water supply, municipality board tenders, encroachments, relief from goonda or syndicate raj, construction of flyovers to ease traffic srls, among others. People want action and not simply writing letters and dropping in a complaint box and waiting for months for action.

Addressing jourlists, MLA Hitendra th Goswami said, “My first agenda is still development of the district, second, a clean governce structure and third, all possible steps to root out corruption by adapting zero tolerance. Earlier, during the last 15 years there was only syndicate raj. I don’t say that one should not become rich but it should not be at the cost of corruption through government schemes and cheating people. I request the jourlists of Jorhat to apprise me of corruption prevalent in the offices and I will ensure action. For this I have decided to open a complaint box in every office, besides a complaint box against me which will be addressed to the Chief Minister, if the people feel that I have failed in my duties which I promised through a 18-point charter before the elections.”

“Persolly, I feel that mere transfer of civil servants on the basis of corruption charges is not acceptable as they are essential organs of every administration and hence we must instead guide them to deliver without corruption practices and bring in development of the districts. On the other hand, I am working on the Rs 72 crore World Bank Water project to touch  Jorhat town, besides the 33 blocks. A considerable size of the district’s population resides in the town area. Additiolly, I am equally surprised that the project is under the control of an Additiol Secretary of PHED department based in Guwahati and I seriously want that post to be stationed here in Jorhat,” added Goswami.