The exposure by a popular English weekly magazine in its investigative story ‘Licensed to fail’ is a tell tale of this malaise. It speaks of Rs. 1000 crore being siphoned off in North Cachar Hills from various development funds between 2004 and mid 2009 and names seven ministers along with five officials in the charge sheet filed by NIA though IG (operations) Loknath Behera DG (NIA) contradicts and denies it.
A senior citizen and former Chief Executive Officer concerned at the squandering away of development funds said, “Corruption in the hills which started in 1999 reached its nadir in 2007.” Can the PWD be safe from this cancerous virus? In order to provide better roads and connectivity, three PWD divisions with mechanical wings at Haflong, Maibong and Mahur have been functioning. But the end results are there for anyone to see. Dethang Naiding, President of the Dimasa apex body, Jadikhe Naishu Hasan agreed and said, “Those who are in power at Dispur are behind all the mess”.
Surfeit of student and youth bodies active for or against the name of the district have not a word to say about menace of corruption. A PWD official maintaining anonymity rather said, “These bodies make rounds of the division to know more about the scheme, allotment and money released against roads.”
The worst phase of politician – militant nexus which cost the exchequer dearly affected development badly. How much has been taken off PWD, CBI investigation alone can reveal.
It is high time that ......(get your copy of Eastern Panorama for the full article)

Jyoti Lal Chowdhury