DIPHU, April 1 - An unruly situation prevailed in the Diphu Treasury since yesterday i.e., on the closing day of the financial year when hundreds of contractors and government officials went on an agitation against the incumbent Treasury Officer and his staff for allegedly extorting huge sum of money for clearing bills and government cheques issued by the Finance department of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council. Crores of rupees of government fund released through various departments remained unpaid due to the incident in the treasury.
Trouble begin from the evening hours when allegedly the treasury officer and his staff made the process of forwarding government payments of all type including salary, remuneration, non salary payments and retirement funds slow in sending the same to the bank for payment.
The agitated beneficiaries told media that since March 25, officials of Diphu Treasury are holding up government pay orders even after extorting huge sum of money from them; they alleged that if the government ceiling (sanctioned fund) cannot be utilised or disbursed within the time limit set by the Finance department, the fund will be debited to the government exchequer.
On the other hand, the Treasury Officer under the scanner Amarendra Sharma said that the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council authority has issued a large number of overdraft cheque which doesn�t tally with the government ceiling. Till the filing of this report, the accountant and other officials of Diphu treasury also held identical views with the treasury officer.
The situation continued till 1.30 am in the night until the Deputy Commissioner of Karbi Anglong Mukul Saikia deputed the Additional Deputy Commissioner Mukul Kathar to intervene and control the situation. The aggrieved recipients� withdrew from the DC office on the verbal assurance of the ADC after midnight. However, several groups came back during official hours today to register their complaints. Deputy Commissioner Mukul Saikia has appointed Narsing Bey ADC as investigating officer and an enquiry is on.
