Tangla Division Irrigation in the eye of the storm over release of Security Deposit

A CORRESPONDENT

TANGLA: The Tangla Division Irrigation office -- one of the largest divisions encompassing seven Legislative Assembly segments -- is in the eye of a storm with reports of anomalies in release of 'Security Deposit Money' to contractors disproportionate to their genuine amount.

According to reports, there have been allegations that contractors have been released security deposit money more than their pending due.

An RTI activist -- Pankaj Asomia -- have lodged an FIR against the present Executive Engineer and Accountant of the division along with the Council Head of the Department (CHD), BTC with the Tangla Police based on the media report of a local Assamese daily with allegations of misappropriation of the security deposit money.

However, official sources have refuted the claims terming them 'wild' and 'baseless' .

The division which annually executes Irrigation schemes to the tune of Rs 80-100 crores have released the security deposit money amounting nearly Rs 10-12 crores in the financial year of 2020-21.

Talking to this correspondent, a high-ranking official of the division -- requesting anonymity -- said," According to the procedure and norms laid out by the government, the contractors are released their security deposit money which is 8 or 9 per cent of the total contract value, after the defect liability period is over.

"Formally, they move application for the same and recently Rs 4.18 crores were released to nearly 50 contractors as per the laid procedure."

Meanwhile, Tangla Police have registered the case based on the FIR and are investigating the matter. "We have registered a case and are investigating the matter. We are awaiting for the official documents involving the release of the security deposit money. Nothing more can be divulged at this stage of investigation." said a police officer privy to the investigation of the case.

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