Tinsukia district emerges as hub of nefarious activities

From our Correspondent

TINSUKIA, July 30: Though Tinsukia is one of the most resourceful districts in India, contributing highest revenue to the State exchequer, it is housing a bundle of corrupt officials, politicians, clouts, organizations and media persons who are involved in nefarious activities and allegedly prowl like hawks after dusk.

Tinsukia is surrounded by three districts of Aruchal Pradesh- Changlang, msai and Lower Dibang Valley of which Changlang is at present the most resourceful district having plenty of coal, timber and oil and the transit route is only Tinsukia. The illegal trade via Tinsukia has increased many folds after open cast mining started in Changlang district at the behest of local politicians. According to information, as many as 10-12 trucks loaded with coal are transported through Tinsukia district allegedly in tactic understanding with police and Tinsukia politicians. Allegation is also rife against a private oil company involved in illegal oil transportation through tankers. After crossing mchik, the inter-State check post in Aruchal Pradesh, the real game starts in the Assam side beginning with Jagun where all join in the fray.

While some big catches are being officially reported in recent times, many are let off after being coughed-up. According to a source, the extorted booty is shared. It is also reported that some media persons, particularly from electronic media, act in collusion with these anti-social elements.

Recently several organizations, like predators prowled on two 12-wheeler trucks bearing numbers AS 01GC-9737 and AS01 GC 9018 carrying illegal logs from mphai-Miao and handed them over to the police while almost a fortnight back these organizations in a drive caught trucks carrying illegal items after a chase and were let-off! Almost regularly huge quantity of gutka, tobacco, zarda and other banned products arrive in Tinsukia by buses and trains for various destitions, including Aruchal Pradesh. These organizations, intriguingly, though keep eying on such illegal trade, keep their hands down for reasons best known to them and officials concerned. What raised many eyebrows was when an MLA himself look the lead in chasing coal-laden trucks late at night and successfully seized the truck in Digboi recently. Though the motive behind such a hilarious act could not be ascertained, according to a source, such act on the part of an MLA would not root out deep-rooted corruption in coal belts of Tinsukia district and in neighbouring districts of Aruchal Pradesh.

Such illegal acts of organizations obviously point fingers towards incompetency of officials concerned. Either they are totally ignorant of these nefarious activities or may be hands-in-glove with these anti-social elements, as viewed by the conscious circle in the district.