Rs 16-crore fishery scam: Dispur seeks 6-week time to file an affidavit

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: An NGO – Amguri Naba Nirman Samity – has sought the intervention of the Gauhati High Court into the over Rs 16-crore scam committed by the State Fishery Department from March 1, 2012, to December 31, 2020.

In a PIL (52/2021) filed in the High Court, the petitioner said that the Directorate of Fishery alone had misused or misappropriated over Rs 13 crore of the amount (Rs 16 crore) while implementing various schemes. The schemes implemented by the Directorate were – construction of new individual ponds, Ghare Ghare Pukhuri Ghar Ghar Maach, SOPD (State-Owned Priority Development) Scheme, Blue Revolution Scheme — etc.

The Fishery Department misused or misappropriated Rs 55.92 lakh in Morigaon, Rs 27.93 lakh in Golaghat, Rs 71.11 lakh in Karimganj, Rs 42.82 lakh in North Lakhimpur, Rs 69.74 lakh in Hailakandi and Rs 35.52 lakh in Jorhat, the petitioner said.

The Accountant General (Audit) Assam also found in its inspection reports that over Rs 16 crore of public money allotted to the Fishery department had been 'intentionally misused/misappropriated'.

Equipped with relevant documents regarding inquiry reports received through the RTI Act, the petitioner also filed several representations/complaints before the respondent authorities, but to no avail till now.

Meanwhile, the State Government has sought a six week time to file its affidavit to gather information from various districts.

The bench comprising Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice Malasri Nandi has listed the PIL for its next hearing on December 17, 2021.

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