In Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), the ambitious plan to establish a Forest School in Kajalgaon has spiraled into a quagmire of corruption and red tape, despite strong local backing and initial government approvals. Initiated in 2019 by the Assam Government with a budgetary allocation of Rs. 1 crore, the project was controversially placed under the State-Owned Planned Development (SOPD) rather than the special budget for VI Schedule areas, circumventing standard procedures. This shift in administration excluded the project from the jurisdiction of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
In 2020, a DFO in Guwahati announced a tender for a Detailed Project Report (DPR), which was completed in 2021. By 2022, tenders for construction works worth Rs. 2.45 crores were awarded, but progress was stymied by allegations of bribery. Reports surfaced of a top forest official demanding bribes, and amidst delays in construction completion, a contractor complained of ongoing extortion by department officials. Despite raising concerns with higher authorities, including the Special Chief Secretary of the Forest Department, the issue remained unresolved, prompting involvement from the Vigilance & Anti-Corruption Department.
As the promises of the Forest School remain unmet, requiring an estimated additional Rs. 100 crores for completion, disillusionment grows among the BTR’s residents. Bureaucratic hurdles and corruption have thrown the future of the Forest School into uncertainty, raising doubts about governmental accountability and effectiveness. Questions persist as to why this crucial project was managed outside the BTC’s authority, a move that’s contributed to the community’s eroding trust in the administration’s capacity to fulfill its commitments.
Original Story https://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam/assam-btr-forest-school-project-faces-corruption-bureaucratic-hurdles.html
Category : Assam,Environment,Northeast News,Top News
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