Assam Public Works Alleges Anomalies In Irrigation Department

Guwahati: The Assam Public Works (APW) today alleged that the irregularities that have been seen in the Irrigation Department for filling up a number of vacancies is true and that the Irrigation Minister’s claim that there is no anomalies in filling up the vacant posts is fake.

Addressing a press conference here in Guwahati, APW President Abhijeet Sarma said, “The anomalies in the department of Irrigation for filling up the vacant posts is still continued which the Irrigation Minister Bhabesh Kalita denied. In the earlier press meet, we said that there are 800 vacant posts in the department of irrigation but the numbers of vacant posts are 644.”

Sarma gives the details of the vacant posts. The posts are:

Sub-Engineer (Grade-I), Civil- 21, Mechanical- 1

Junior Assistant (HOD)- 23

Junior Assistant (District)- 159

Section Assistant- 397

PPO- 41

Primary Investigator- 1

Statistical Assistant- 1

The Assam Public Works had brought the irregularities in this department to the notice of the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in March 29 this year. However, in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, the matter failed to get due attention from the Chief Minister. This has made APW to bring the issue to the notice of the Chief Minister afresh.

Abhijeet Sarma said that Irrigation works in Guwahati division have been stagnant for the past one year. Instead of focusing on concrete irrigation works, the department has been busy in activities like transfer and posting of officials. This has led the farmers to incur losses.

Sarma also said that the department has 644 vacancies to fill. Even as the advertisement has not been published yet, hard bargaining with candidates is going on. Such activities are set to spell doom for the society in the days ahead. Under Guwahati division, many irrigation schemes have come up only to lie idle as most of them are defunct.”

Sarma has sought the intervention of the Chief Minister to what is happening in the department so as to bring it back on track.

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