Speaker, minister engage in verbal duel on irregularities

Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker Pranab Kumar Gogoi today got engaged in an altercation with state Water Resources Minister Rajib Lochan Pegu and criticised him over irregularities in erosion and flood control measures.
Discussions during Question Hour over various irregularities in state and Central schemes united the ruling and oppositions MLAs, who demanded timely action.
Replying to a query by AGP MLA Padma Hazarika, Pegu said the Water Resources Department had received a total of Rs 1,278.22 crore from the Centre since 2001-02 till last fiscal.
Out of it, Rs 1,267.31 crore has already been spent and only Rs 10.91 crore was the unspent amount, he said.

On this, the Speaker said, "Please ensure that the money is not swept away in flood waters."
Pegu reacted to it by saying that "it will send a wrong message if we say in the House that money is swept away in the water" and challenged the MLAs, who questioned government's failure in flood control measures, to give data about any corruption and irregularities.

Gogoi then said, "You please try to remove this bad reputation of your department."
The minister shot back, saying, "In summer, when people enjoy the comfort of AC rooms, our engineers work in the scorching heat and flood waters. It is not fair to blame them."

When the argument did not head for a conclusion, with many members continuing to criticise the minister and officials of his department, the Speaker ended the discussion saying, "Whatever excuse or explanation you (Pegu) give, it will not work with us. You should show it by work."
Noisy scenes were also witnessed on a question on corruption in soil conservation schemes and allegedly providing wrong information in the House.
Soil Conservation Minister Nilamani Sen Deka agreed to the Treasury and Opposition benches' demand and announced to conduct an inquiry into the irregularities.
"An inquiry will be conducted by the Principal Secretary of my department and a status report will be submitted during the winter session of the Assembly. I will issue the order today," Deka said.