NBCC comes under scathing attack in House

GUWAHATI, July 14: National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) came under scathing attack in the Assam Assembly today for its lack of sincerity in executing construction of Centrally funded schemes in the State. Not to speak of the Opposition parties, even the minister concerned is not happy with the style of execution of schemes by the construction company. There are even allegations that the corporation gives away works of various Centrally sponsored schemes on a sub-contract basis keeping the State Government in the dark. Two Storm Water Drainage Schemes — one at Silchar and the other at Silapathar — were under construction of NBCC but the construction company has abandoned the works.

During the Question Hour, BJP MLA Rumi Nath wanted to know the percentage of works done in the Storm Water Drainage Scheme at Silchar by NBCC and the amount spent so far for the project. In his reply, Urban Development Minister Dinesh Prasad Gowala said his department has no records of the percentage of work done by NBCC that abandoned the work of the scheme without giving any records to the State Government. He said NBCC can furnish documents to the company to whom the work of the scheme has been entrusted by the Centre.

The Opposition members then said that though the scheme was a Centrally funded one and the NBCC had been directly engaged by the Centre, the department concerned of the State Government should have all records and up-to-date information of the scheme as the work was being done in the State only.

This made Gowala to admit that NBCC did not respond to the State Government’s queries properly as it had been engaged by the Centre and got funds directly from the Centre. "I wanted to know the progress of the work of Storm Water Drainage Project at Silchar from NBCC, but it didn’t respond to my query," he said, and added: "We have written a letter to the Centre about NBCC, and requested the Centre to hand over the remaining works of the scheme to the State Government." He said NBCC has withdrawn Rs 2 crore of the Rs 17 crore meant for the Silchar scheme which it has abandoned.

According to Gowala, NBCC has cited problems created by local people and NGOs and encroachment of land as the reasons behind its decision to pull out of the two schemes in the State. Gowala, however, said that the construction company had never informed the State Government of the problems created by local people and NGOs and encroachment of land.

Taking part in the discussion, Leader of Opposition Chandra Mohan Patowary said: "NBCC did a stretch of work along the Bangladesh border. During an on-the-spot inspection of the work by an all-party committee, the work was found to be of poor quality."

Parimal Shuklabaidya of the BJP then took part in the discussion and said it is a matter of shame that a national construction company has blamed it on the people of Silchar for its decision to pull out of a scheme in the town, and this is despite the presence of two members from Barak Valley in the State Cabinet.

Independent MLA Bhupen Pegu then said NBCC has abandoned the Silapathar Storm Water Drainage Project after doing only 10 per cent of the work. He demanded of the government to constitute an Assembly committee to monitor the works of NBCC.

Ananta Deka of the CPI-M also said though the schemes that are undertaken by NBCC are Centrally funded, the construction company should take the State Government into confidence while executing works as the works are done in Asom. He also demanded of the government to constitute an Assembly committee to monitor works of NBCC. SOURCE: THE SENTINEL