APW moves court to probe scam

Lime for poor farmers

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Aug 7: A case was today filed by Assam Public Works at the court of Special Judge, seeking a thorough investigation into an alleged scam in the State's Agriculture department in which some officers had misappropriated lakhs of rupees on the pretext of a lime distribution scheme.

The APW has med former Agriculture minister Nilomonisen Deka, Director Kabindra Borkakoti, Joint Director Upen Borah, Khapara Agriculture Development officer Majam Ali Akanda and contractor Sanowar Hussain in the case.

"The Director of Agriculture has issued an ordered for supply of lime to poor farmers. But after various social visits to villages, we found that lime was never supplied. Though in a few villagers, some chemical material was distributed, these contained very little lime," APW spokesman Rajib Deka said quoting the complaint.

The complaint had filed an RTI application, seeking information about the scheme along with the relevant copies pertaining to funds received by the Agriculture department, mes of suppliers, quantity of lime supplied, amounts sanctioned to the suppliers and also documents like road permits, company bills and challans.

The Agriculture department failed to furnish some documents like road permits, company bills, challans etc, which indicate the possibility of misappropriation, Deka said.

The APW petitioned the court "to direct an appropriate agency to investigate into the matter by registering a case under the relevant sections of law."