Corruption allegation against DMB chairperson Shipra Mallik, contractor in Digboi

Our Correspondent

DIGBOI: While the Sarbananda Sonowal- led government of Assam has been laying stress on zero tolerance to corruption and transparent governance, the alleged financial anomalies in the Digboi Municipal Board (DMB) presents a contradictory picture.

According to allegations brought about by the Digboi unit of Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) and Digboi Unnayan Samity (DUS) recently during a press meet, Shipra Mallik, the chairperson of DMB, engineer of the civic body, Bikash Gogoi and an associated contractor, Dulal Mech had been involved in financial and procedural malpractices while awarding tender for construction of a drain at Borbil No 1 involving an amount of Rs 50 lakh.

Activists who were about to stage a road blockade here in Digboi finally withdrew their stir till Saturday after being invited for talks with the police officer at Digboi police station. The agitators during the talk demanded immediate arrest of the three persons. The police assured of concrete action very soon after collecting the material shreds of evidence in the case.

The aggrieved student body had earlier categorically alleged that Shipra Mallik had been favoring a section of contractors and as such abusing the power vested upon her. She allegedly was carrying out various financial scams and anomalies in awarding and tendering various works within the municipal jurisdiction.

“Ironically, the project involving around Rs 50 lakh for the construction of a drain at Borbil kicked off without the prize bid and much before the work order was issued to Dulal Mech due to the patronage of the chairperson and the engineer concerned,” alleged Manjil Hazarika, the secretary of the AJYCP.

“The work was started on February 3 and around 25 percent of the work was already done while the date of award of the work to the eligible firm was slated as February 10. An FIR to this effect was lodged at Digboi police station and a case no. 62/2020 was registered against the trio u/s 420/406 of IPC. However, the police are yet to arrest any of the accused,” lamented an activist of Digboi Unnayan Samity.

When contacted, local MLA Suren Phukan categorically said that he would not compromise with the developmental works and projects within the constituency. Rubbishing the possibility of any favoritism on the ground of party homogeneity, Phukan demanded the government agencies, both rural and the urban, to be transparent in all the official dealings and abide by the provisions of rewarding and awarding jobs affecting the public interest. “Let the law take its natural course and decide accordingly the fate of the trio in the case based on the findings,” said the MLA. Police sources said that based on the nature of the case, a legal notice was served to the accused and further investigation was going on.

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