GUWAHATI, March 28 � The All Assam Shramik Krishak Kalyan Parishad has demanded a CBI inquiry into the alleged Rs 23 crore irrigation scam and has called upon Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to ensure that the irrigation schemes are not confined to paper works only and farmers in the State get water in their paddy fields.
The Parishad said that the Government had come up with certain irrigation schemes but regrettably those never got implemented which has compelled many poor farmers to stay away from cultivation.
The Parishad alleged that a section of agriculture development officers had misused the funds and pocketed crores meant for the farmers and agriculture development. It said that unless the Government takes stringent measures to stop rampant corruption in the agriculture department, the farmers would remain deprived.
It needs to be mentioned here that the Parishad has been demanding of the Government since long to provide irrigation facilities to all farmers, besides insisting on security for those workers of the State who have been forced by circumstances to go outside to seek employment.
�The perennial flood and erosion problem in the State has forced many educated farmers and labourers to seek employment outside the State. These workers often face harassment and some have even been killed by miscreants,� said the Parishad urging the Government to compensate the families of the workers who were killed by miscreants.
On the other hand, pointing out that the poverty struck farmers, weavers and labourers were deprived of the welfare schemes meant for their development, the Parishad requested the Government to stop political intervention and ensure that the needy availed the benefits directly from the Government office.
The Parishad also demanded regularisation of jobs of 250 workers in the Assam secretariat, patta for the poor farmers and labour and checking price rise.
