Northeast Desk, 21st November: The Magong Banggo Students’ Union (MBSU) in Siang District has reiterated its appeal to the state government for the establishment of a Special Investigation Cell (SIC) to probe alleged irregularities and corruption in a Rs 1.87 crore water conservation project at Gueng and Diyung lakes in Riga village.
In continuation of their earlier plea, MBSU leaders, President Koti Mize and Speaker Lenzing Mize, have lodged a formal complaint against officials from the Water Resources Department (WRD), Siang Division. The MBSU alleges corruption in the project execution, citing discrepancies in the construction of the retaining wall, huts, and water input channel.
Despite a funding allocation of Rs. 1.87 crore, MBSU claims that work worth Rs. 40 lakhs remains incomplete. They also point out inadequacies in the tendering process, stating that only Rs. 1.13 crore tender was initiated, leaving a significant gap of Rs. 74 lakhs unaccounted for.
To escalate their concerns, an FIR has been filed at Boleng, the district headquarters of Siang District, against the Executive Engineer (EE), Assistant Engineer (AE), and Junior Engineer (JE) of WRD Boleng Division. The Superintendent of Police, Siang district, has forwarded the complaint application to the Superintendent of Police (SIC), Itanagar for necessary action.
The AE and JE from WRD Boleng Division attribute delays to the challenging location of the natural lakes on a mountain slope, compounded by a 3-4 km steep foot-walk, making material transportation difficult.
Gueng and Diyung Lakes, though lacking road connectivity, hold potential for development into tourist destinations, adding complexity to the ongoing dispute.
Read More: Assam: Two Students Found Dead in Sipajhar, Love-Related Issues Suspected