Gross anomalies alleged against Public Works Department in construction work at Pothorughat

An Unauthorized excavation of the graveyard of 140 Krishak Swahids of 1894

Our Correspondent

MANGALDAI: As per the provisions of the Assam Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRMB) Act, 2005, it is mandatory to obtain the technical sanction for any construction work even before inviting the tender notice. But the Building wing of Public Works Department (PWD) allegedly does not bother to get the technical sanction before inviting papers for construction works.

A section of officials in PWD (B) with vested interest has not only invited tender papers but also allotted the works. The Chief Engineer of PWD (B) was reportedly kept in the dark about the entire process. These anomalies came to light following the sanction of an amount of Rs. 2 crore under Untied Fund (State Specific Scheme) of 2016-17 for construction of Farmers’ Training Centre-cum- Research Centre at the historic Pothorughat in Darrang where 140 Krishak Swahids were brutally gunned down by the British on January 28, 1894. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, while attending the Krishak Swahid Divas at Pothorughat in 2017 as the chief guest, had announced to sanction required fund for expansion and beautification of the Swahid Memorial site with a view to transform it into a national monument. Accordingly, the State Government had sanctioned an amount of Rs. 5 crore to the Agriculture department and Rs. 2 crore under Untied Fund to PWD (B) through the development branch of the DC’s office Darrang.

On receipt of the fund, the officials of the PWD (B), including the Superintending Engineer and Executive Engineer at Tezpur, Assistant Executive Engineer and a junior Engineer at Mangaldai Building subdivision, allegedly chalked out an evil design and without obtaining the technical sanction, invited the tenders and allotted the works to 14 contractors, keeping the Chief Engineer of PWD (B) in the dark. As per norms, the amount of Rs. 2 crores sanctioned for a single work cannot be divided into fragments without the approval of the Chief Engineer.

On the other hand, though there is no provision in the estimate for excavation of the historic graveyard where the British dumped the bodies of all the 140 Krishak Swahids in the single pit without observing minimum rituals, the contractor concerned had excavated the graveyard with a JCB as per the verbal instruction of Junior Engineer Iswar Goswami.

This information has been recorded in the written letter of the Assistant Executive Engineer, Mangaldai Sub Division of PWD (B) and in the report submitted to the Deputy Commissioner by the Additional Deputy Commissioner who conducted a preliminary inquiry.

Various organizations and individuals had requested the district administration to keep the mass burial ground intact as a mark of respect and honour to those unsung 140 Krishak Swahids. In view of the unauthorized excavation of the mass burial ground and gross violation of FRBM Act by the erring officials of the PWD (B), several organizations, including Mangaldai Media Circle, have demanded the State Government and the district administration to take stringent action on the erring officials.

On Tuesday, the office bearers of Mangaldai Media Circle, namely secretary Mayukh Goswami, assistant secretary Shrawan Jha and adviser Bhargab Kumar Das, met the Chief Engineer of PWD (B) in his office and submitted a memorandum seeking his intervention. The Chief Engineer expressed deep shock over the unauthorized excavation and for not obtaining the technical sanction and assured to initiate adequate disciplinary action against the erring officials. The Chief Engineer has also decided to visit the site at Pothorughat along with other senior officials of the department within a very short period.

Also read: Assam news