Assam: Alleged anomalies in contract works under Digboi Refinery extension project

A CORRESPONDENT

DIGBOI: The unemployed youths of various rural pockets of Digboi in Assam’s Tinsukia district have been pointing their fingers with suspicion towards the alleged anomalies in respect of executing the contract works under Digboi Refinery Expansion Project here.

The Digboi Refinery Expansion Project is a sanctioned capacity augmentation project of Digboi Refinery from existing 0.65 million metric tons per annum (mmtpa) to 1 mmtpa, with an estimated cost of Rs 740.20 crore. However, youths addressing the media on Friday evening alleged that the initial work was awarded to Keller Ground Engineering India Private Limited which authorized one Hemanta Agarwal, a businessman of Tinsukia, and three other players to execute further.

The demand for more than 6000 cft of minor minerals ironically to be procured only from Arunachal’s Roing-based crushers mill raised concerns leading to revenue loss of Assam Government’s exchequer.

Furthermore, according to allegations, samples of Assam’s crusher mills was rejected mysteriously to provide mileage to a few vested groups associated with Eastern Enterprises, AMR Stone Crushers, Simari concrete industries and RR Mines & Minerals of Roing in Arunachal, allowing only the four to provide the minerals.

Astonishingly, local contractors with the same sample were allegedly not approved and thus kept aloof in the race’, said a contractor who was denied the right who had reportedly bid even on a lower rate.

 On the other hand, the educated unemployed youths from places around Digboi including Powai, Bhimpather, Haldibari, Khalgaon, Mulukgaon, Lakhipather, etc alleged that a few leaders of the local organizations, including few journalists under the banner of never-heard organisation ‘Unemployed Union of Digboi’ have secured around 33 percent of initial civil works following a crucial meeting held in the conference hall of Deputy Commissioner Tinsukia earlier on March 29.

The work has been syndicated by a few on commission basis in the name of the unemployed union of Digboi depriving the greater chunks of deserving unemployed sections.

Earlier, on the ground of the alleged syndicate in the work, the DC Tinsukia had taken an immediate cognizance based on complaints by few student organizations earlier and had recently settled the issue dividing the work among the three conflicting groups including a so called Unemployed Union of Digboi whose existence is in question.

“Do the four student organizations and a handful of media persons constitute the genuine unemployed youths of Digboi?’ wonders Lakhinder Hasda, an educated youth of Powai, raising concerns about narrowing down the definition of unemployed youths which was taken into consideration while allotting the work.

The disgruntled youths, while addressing the media, urged the competent authority to come up with clear and transparent procedures and state the parameters followed during the work allocation after the due intervention of district administration.

Meanwhile, the Journalists Union of Digboi headed by President Binanda Konwar and Secretary Rajesh Upadhyay on Friday evening submitted a memorandum signed by the media fraternity of Digboi, highlighting the volatility of the situation amidst the cries of the deprived youths.

The crucial matter to be addressed was also brought into the formal notice of the DC Tinsukia, local MLA Suren Phukan, Bimal Bora, Minister of Industries and Commerce Assam, Chairman Indian Oil, seeking immediate intervention thereby dousing the inflammable situation at the right earnest for the greater cause of the society.

Nevertheless, the media fraternity also expressed gratitude to the Petroleum Ministry Government of India, Government of Assam led by Dr Hemanta Biswa Sarma and Indian Oil fraternity for making the dreams of Digboi come true for efforts to expand the refining capacity of the British-built Heritage Refinery from 0.65 MMPT to 1 MMPT thus boosting the economy of the region, creating potential avenues for the local youths and other segments of the society.

Also Read: Digboi Refinery Stands Still as Workers Protest Unfulfilled Promises

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