HVK Archives: Scams taint LF panchayats in S 24-Parganas
Scams taint LF panchayats in S 24-Parganas - The Telegraph
Debasish Chattopadhyay
()
28 March 1997
Title: Scams taint LF panchayats in S 24-Parganas
Author: Debasish Chattopadhyay
Publication: The Telegraph
Date: March 28, 1997
A string of panchayat-related scandals involving disappearance of public
funds in the region of Rs 3.5 crore are rocking district South 24 Parganas
1 forcing the government to put a number of CPM-run-panchayat bodies under
the microscope.
The funds were meant for investment in development projects drawn up for
improving the quality of life of an estimated 57 lakh rural population
spread across 3,470 villages and 37 islands of South 24-Parganas.
According to district officials, the single largest scandal concerns
embezzlement of over Rs 2 crore at Patharpratima block.
CPM panchayat functionaries and a succession of block development officers
(BDOs) of Patharpratima allegedly joined hands and funnelled monies to
their pockets over the past four years.
"At this point it is difficult to say how far the BDOs are responsible for
the embezzlement" the district magistrate Syed Zakir Hussain told The
Telegraph today. "But there are some definite charges against the
panchayat representatives who are being investigated."
Borrowing a contemporary western concept in urban development, South
24-Parganas can be described as a "rururb," as it is endowed with a strong
and rare rural-urban character.
This character is typified by the creation over time of 19 and 12 police
stations for exclusively overseeing rural and urban halves of the district.
To an extent North 24-Parganas and Howrah across the Ganga also fall under
the "rururb" bracket. Again, of the 17 West Bengal districts, South and
North 24-Parganas are considered near-extensions of Calcutta.
There is an arrogance of picturesque arrogance about South 24-Parganas.
Since it contains the constituencies of the chief minister Mr. Jyoti Basu,
the home minister Mr Buddhadev Bhattacharya and two other state ministers,
besides being home to 23 MLAs and six MPs, including Ms Mamata Banerjee.
What has lately put South on the fast. lane is a relatively high degree of
industrialisation. A string of resorts, like the Ffort, promoted by Mr
Harsh Neotia, have sprung up across the district doing brisk business.
Companies like Senbo, Hotel Rajhans have already set up shop there, and
Pepsi and JJ Spectrum are in the process of doing the same. The Falta
export processing zone has begun to hum. Many companies and Bengali
speaking non-resident Indians have started exploring the district for
investment purposes.
The companies' present rush to the district has achieved two things. First,
it has generated sizeable demands for lands.
And, second, the demand has, educated the local politicians, mostly on
panchayat bodies about opportunities to make money by arranging such lands,
often by cutting corners.,
Also engaging the government's attention, according to the officials, is
the Rs 60 lakh embezzlement scandal involving the reclamation of Battali
canal at Gosaba.
Mr Hussain is believed to have asked Writers' Buildings to order an inquiry
into the scandal. Writers' is to step into the picture as the embezzlement
allegedly involves several district panchayat officers, too.
There is also a litany of panchayat-related scandals of different
magnitudes in South 24-Parganas (see chart).
According to Mr Samir Putatunda, secretary of the district CPM, the party
will consider initiating action only after learning the findings of the
current inquiries.
If the findings showed that one or more CPM panchayat functionary is
involved in "political" corruption, the party would move in and book them,
he said.
In case of proved financial corruption involving a partyman, the
administration would be required to initiate measures against the culprits,
he said, adding "the party will not stand in the way."
A number of Congress run-panchayat bodies too have got embroiled in
financial scandals.
Like the CPM, the Congress has suspended at least six of the party's
panchayat functionaries, at least two of them at Brajaballavpur, under the
Patharpratima block.
SOUTH 24-PARGANAS: A CATALOGUE OF PANCHAYAT SCANDALS 1995-96 and 1996-97
Charge/Project Amt Panchayat body Ruling party Steps of Consequences
(lakh) involved Involved the law
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Embezzlement of funds: 60 Gosaba RSP members Administrative -----
Battali canal project inquiry on
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Misappropriation of 15 Bhangar CPM pradhan Administrative -----
funds : and others inquiry on
Bagjola-Koilaghata
canal project
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Misappropriation of 13 Raidighi CPM pradhan Police case Pradhan
funds: Jawahar Rozgar registered arrested
Yozna schemes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Misuse of funds: 2 Panchanan Congress Administrative -----
Road works, drinking panchayat inquiry on
water scheme member
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Defalcation of funds: 1.25 Rashkhali CPM pradhan Administrative Pradhan
Laying of roads etc. inquiry on suspended
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Violation of ---- Dakshin CPM pradhan Administrative -----
Panchayats Act Gangadharpur inquiry on
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Source : Directorate of panchayats, Govt of West Bengal
Chart by Nilratan Maity
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