Tezpur citizens seek inquiry into 'fund misappropriation' of TES

From a Correspondent

Tezpur, Sept 24: Leading citizens and different socio-cultural organizations, including Tezpur Asomyia Club, Tezpur District Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Dekargaon Zila Parishad, Tezpur Senior Citizen Forum, Constitutiol Right Security Forum and Save Assam, have sought a transparent inquiry into the years-long alleged misappropriation of funds sanctioned time-to-time to the Tezpur Environment Society(TES).

Seeking an inquiry into the alleged fund misappropriation, a number of social organizations and many senior citizens on Saturday submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of Sonitpur, Manuj Kumar Deka.

TES was created by former Deputy Commissioners MGVK Bhanu and ba Kumar Chetia for executing certain unique works, thereby giving a facelift to the historic city to attract foreign and domestic tourists. However, in the memorandum the Tezpur citizens alleged that Tezpur was famous for its many historically important tourist spots much before the existence of Tezpur Environment Society. The memorandum stated that over the last 21 years, some members had been occupying the Tezpur Environment Society as their private property for their persol interest. Alleging large-scale misappropriation of the funds sanctioned to TES, the sigtories also mentioned that TES had been violating all sort of the norms, beginning from refraining to provide fincial statement to the income tax authority.

“The record of the income generated from Padum Pukhuri is totally ignored. The playing equipments like toy train, bumper car, artificial water fall, swinging pool cum water slide, and musical fountain installed in the Padumpukhuri children’s park are now totally defunct,” stated the memorandum.The sigtories alleged that every fincial matter was resolved by only a few members with their vested interest. They also alleged that the present treasurer, who is an electrical goods trader, had been holding his post over the past many years by violating every norm.

Stressing an eco-friendly environment in the historic city, the sigtories alleged that once the Padumpukhuri, turally enriched with lotus flowers, could attract both foreign and domestic tourists. However, it has failed to attract those foreigners because its serenity had been destroyed by the fishermen engaged to fish in Padumpukhuri, hired from Sulung area. “We appeal to the authority concerned, particularly the Deputy Commissioner of the district, to intervene in the entire issue for making the body corruption-free by abolishing all the corrupt members, including the chairman, so that Tezpur can be given a facelift in the days to come, attracting all sections of the society, including the tourists,” the memorandum further stated.