Days after Congress MLA and senior leader Birajit Sinha publicly alleged large-scale irregularities in a multi-crore procurement process of the Forest Department in Kailashahar under Unakoti district, the entire tender-related process has been cancelled, according to a senior departmental official.
Speaking to media persons on Wednesday, Sub-Divisional Forest Officer (SDFO) Shubham Das confirmed that the procurement process had been scrapped in its entirety. However, he rejected claims that the cancellation was a direct consequence of the allegations raised by the MLA during a press conference on June 6.
Das clarified that the department had not floated any formal tender for execution of works, contrary to what had been alleged. Instead, supply orders had been invited for the procurement of various items. A total of 12 contractors participated in the process.
“After opening the bids following the stipulated deadline, it was found that all 12 participating contractors had committed technical errors in their submissions. As a result, the entire process was cancelled,” Das said.
The controversy erupted after MLA Birajit Sinha accused the Forest Department of violating procurement norms. Addressing a press conference at the Congress Bhavan in Kailashahar on June 6 last, Sinha alleged that any government procurement or work exceeding Rs 5 lakh must be conducted through an online tendering process. He claimed that the department bypassed these rules and instead attempted to favour selected contractors through a supply-order mechanism, thereby facilitating corruption.
Following the official announcement of the cancellation, questions have been raised over the timing of the decision. Critics argue that if the process had indeed been cancelled solely on technical grounds, the cancellation notice should have been publicly displayed before the MLA brought the issue to light.
Responding to these concerns, Das stated that the procurement notice had been issued in accordance with established procedures through the Information and Cultural Affairs Department, published on government websites and in newspapers, and displayed on the notice board of the Forest Department office in Kailashahar.
The issue has sparked wider debate in the subdivision, with some residents demanding a thorough inquiry by higher authorities to determine whether any irregularities occurred during the procurement process.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Birajit Sinha has also accused the Forest Department of failing to curb the alleged illegal extraction of sand from the Manu River. He claimed that illegal sand mining activities have increased significantly across the Kailashahar subdivision since the current Forest Officer assumed charge.
The MLA further alleged that despite several written complaints against the officer, higher departmental authorities have remained silent and have not taken any visible action. Residents have echoed calls for greater oversight, saying that an impartial investigation could help uncover the facts behind both the procurement controversy and the allegations regarding illegal sand mining.
The allegations made by the MLA have been denied by the concerned Forest Department official, and no findings from an independent inquiry have yet been made public.