Cankers of Corruption
With the Congress and BJP stepping up vilification campaign against each other over the alleged 2013 disaster relief scam, it is likely that the serious issue of corruption that has eaten its way deep into the body and soul of Devbhoomi would get lost. While BJP, flaunting its impeccable integrity, is throwing a dare to the Congress and its Government in the State to face a CBI probe into the emotive disaster scam Congress, undaunted, is threatening BJP with a probe into Kumbha, Citurgia, Dhaicha scams. However, the people know this is mere ‘sound and fury signifying nothing’. During 2007 Assembly election campaigning, BJP had warned that it would facilitate inquiries into 56 scams that had hung to the previous the Congress regime between 2002 and 2007. After coming to power, the saffron party chose to forget its holy pledge. To pay its rival in the same coin during 2012 Assembly election canvassing, the Congress warned BJP to ready itself for probes into the plethora of scams that had rocked its regime. However, it proved mere bluster after the grand-old-party was saddled in power. Now, with the 2017 Assembly election not far away, the same drama is being enacted. The common people, though distressed over the reports of a section of the officials having looted the state exchequer, milking the tragic 2013 disaster, are not hopeful that the real issue would be rightly addressed. Things are being reduced to ineffectual street fighting while it is obvious that the perpetrators of the loot would go unpunished. The hapless people of Devbhoomi are now invoking a divine incarnation to descend to rid the state of the cankers of corruption.
DMCH bogged in rift
Up-gradation of Doon Hospital, State’s biggest Government hospital, to Doon Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) is being delayed due to a dragging standoff between a Cabinet Minister and the executing agency entrusted with building infrastructure for the end. This is despite the fact that the State Government has allocated Rs180 crore under the head of medical education for the up-gradation. It is learnt that the Minister in concerned is stonewalling things as he is unhappy with the agency for not complying with his ‘order of appointing his chosen contractors and sub-contractors for the project. He has reportedly told the agency officials point blank that he would not release funds unless they fell in line. However, the agency is standing its ground, saying that it has already paid up the share of all that count. Now they would act strictly according to the terms and conditions of the tender, they insist. The stand is justified in view of the fact that the particular agency is known for its generosity in greasing the palms of those who matter in allotment of tenders. The redoubtable Minister is, however, not one to yield ground easily. He claims that there is a Congress Government in the State thanks to him. He had defeated the BJP stalwart to help the Congress move past the saffron party by a solitary seat. With things remaining stuck in the protracted rift, the prospective students aspiring to have admission in DMCS for 2015-16 academic session are spending days in uncertainty.