Assam: Student body raises concern over mismanagement of electricity funds at Powai Tea Estate

The Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA), Margherita Branch has raised concerns regarding mismanagement of funds for electricity bills, at Powai Tea Estate under Margherita Subdivision, Tinsukia.

Jayanta Parmanik, who claimed to be an agent of the estate, has been accused of mishandling funds meant for electricity bills of the tea garden workers.

Sources reveal that years ago, Jayanta Parmanik was appointed by the garden management and the Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS) Powai unit, under the supervision of the former Sub-Divisional Engineer (SDE) of APDCL, to collect electricity bill payments which were deducted from the workers’ wages. 

The issue surfaced when the new SDE took charge and discovered that approximately Rs 30 lakh worth of electricity bills were unpaid for the year 2022-2023. The pending amount is expected to increase if investigations extend from 2017 to the present.

Rohit Deep, President (i/c) of ATTSA Margherita Branch committee emphasised that Rs 29 lakh is a substantial amount, particularly for the tea workers who earn modest wages. He suggested a larger conspiracy, indicating that Parmanik might be a minor player in a broader scheme.

Pranjal Baraik, Joint Publicity Secretary of ATTSA State Committee, criticized APDCL and the garden management for appointing an unauthorised individual to handle such a significant amount of money. Baraik questioned why the garden management allowed the entire deducted electricity bill amount to be handed over to Parmanik, rather than issuing checks directly to APDCL.

Baraik also condemned the police administration, noting that despite an FIR being lodged against Parmanik by the Powai Tea Estate consumers, no arrest has been made. He suggested that the garden management should also be investigated for failing to secure the workers’ deducted wages and for not filing an FIR against Parmanik, raising suspicions of their involvement.

The Assam Tea Tribes Student Association(ATTSA) Margherita Branch committee, on July 29 submitted a memorandum to Assam Power Minister, Nandita Garlosa, through the Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Margherita demanding a high-level inquiry and Minister intervention into the matter. They also requested appropriate measures needed to be taken to recover the deducted amounts and to punish those responsible.

These issues has also raised questions towards the ruling government promise of zero tolerance against corruption and it be relevant to watch the role of Assam Power Minister Nandita Garlosa regarding these matters.