The Hindu: Guwahati: Saturday,
25 July 2020.
Leader
of Opposition writes to Upa Lokayukta citing complaints from an NGO, documents
received by RTI activist
The
Assam Congress has asked the State Upa Lokayukta to investigate allegations of
corruption associated with efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the
State.
Debabrata
Saikia, the party’s Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, in his July
21 letter to Justice Chittaranjan Sharma, the Upa Lokayukta, has cited
complaints by an NGO and documents received through Right to Information
petitions on overpriced medical equipment procured by the State government.
“...serious
allegations have surfaced regarding irregularities and preferential treatment
given to certain suppliers in procurement of various items pertaining
particularly to the COVID-19 pandemic, including Personal Protection Equipment
(PPE) kits by the Health & Family Welfare department of Assam,” Mr Saikia
said in his letter.
Cartel
on procurement
He
referred to a letter from Assam Public Works, the NGO whose 2009 petition in
the Supreme Court led to the updating of the National Register of Citizens in
the State, to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal a few days ago.
The NGO
had complained about a business cartel monopolising the supply of PPE kits and
masks, besides “irregularities in the tender” for supply of other items. It had
also sought transparency in the spending of ₹630 crore provided by the Centre
for battling the pandemic.
RTI
petition
Mr
Saikia also cited an RTI activist who provided documentary evidence about
“overpriced testing kits” procured by the Health and Family Welfare department
under the National Health Mission (NHM).
The
activist had pointed out that the NHM had paid ₹1,145 for each kit that cost
the Uttar Pradesh government just ₹490, he said.
“These
are extremely serious allegations and deserve to be probed, especially because
the issue involves reported profiteering at a time of general human misery,”
the Congress leader said.
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