"Local Contractor of Water Resources was assigned to damage Bethukandi Bundh," Cachar Congress writes to governor demanding investigation

The Silchar District Congress Committee has sent a memorandum to the Governor of Assam via the Deputy Commissioner’s office, alleging huge instances of corruption against the Water Resource Department. According to the memorandum, Rs 10.4 crores were sanctioned in order to strengthen the partially constructed flood control dyke at Bethukandi, Silchar by building a Geo-Bag flood protection.

It is worth mentioning here that a portion of the Bethukandi embankment was cut away using a JCB by the locals following the first phase of floods in May. In the month of June, when the water level of river Barak swelled again, through that cut away passage, the river water flooded into the city and villages of Cachar district resulting in unprecedented deluge. Property worth hundreds of crores got damaged and many lost lives due to the floods.

The Cachar Congress alleged that the portion of the embankment was cut away to hide the corruption of the past. In the memorandum, it is stated. “The scheme has not been completed as yet and it is learned that an amount of part payment made to the contractor, Mr Rajib Lohia of Guwahati was more than the actual quantum of work done by him under the supervision of Mr Ashit Deb the then Executive Engineer and direct supervision of Mr Debabrata Paul Asst. executive engineer of Silchar Water Resource Department.”

The Congress is alleging that the payment made to the contractor amounts way more than the actual work done on the ground. The copy submitted to the Governor adds, “It is alleged by the local people and our party activist the work partially executed by the contractor was also sub-standard. So it is a big issue of corruption for which those who are involved need to be brought to book. The partially constructed Geo-Bay protection needs to be tested to ascertain the
standard of work.”

Here comes the massive allegation, “This year when the episodic flood occurred for the first time in the month of May 2022, the above mentioned Bundh or Dyke near Bethukandi sluice Gate was secretly cut in dark hours of late night allegedly to divert water to save the substandard and vulnerable Geo-Bag protection ostensibly to hide unveiling of entire corruption in the event of any damage to this protection work and this caused devastating and havoc to
Silcharites. We are informed that one local contractor of Water Resource Department viz Mr. Raju Laskar was allegedly given the charge of executing the entire operation of bundh cutting. It is also alleged that the site’s staff were shifted to a different place on the day of bundh cutting operation.”

The Cachar Congress is demanding a thorough investigation and all the culprits involved in this criminal act to be brought to book. 

This comes in as a new twist in the Bethukandi embankment damage case, related to which the Police has arrested four individuals. So far, it was alleged that the locals of Mahishabeel had damaged the Bundh. Now, the Congress are charging the departments of grave corruption.