Fight against corruption

For any system to work efficiently checks and balances are required. In absence of checks and balances any system can derail. Similarly, a constant vigil on what is happening in a government department is crucial. The resources made available to any department, and managed by the officials in the department, is a public trust. Every penny should be spent where it is needed and in a manner law and other norms allow.

Violation of rules and misappropriation of funds are grave crimes. Unfortunately the menace of corruption afflicts our systemic life and it results in wastage of resources and consequent deformity in the overall governance. Recently we saw the Anti Corruption Bureau sharing details of a corruption case. ACB, J&K booked some senior officials, and conducted raids also.The case was related to Srinagar Smart City Limited ( SSCL).

Now ACB has registered preliminary enquiries related to misappropriation of Devri stones in the Smart City Project and also the use of substandard material. As the concerned department the ACB is supposed to follow the leads and unearth whatever is found wrong in the matter. The larger question here is that if a high end project like that of Smart City is marred by allegations of misappropriation, what can people expect form other projects going on in the length and breadth of J&K. It is true that one shouldn’t generalise the case and start doubting everything. There are people in this system that work hard and follow rules to the last detail.

That is what makes this system work. But any case of corruption that surfaces up tells upon the overall ecosystem of governance. It creates a mistrust between people and official machinery. The government, while thoroughly following the cases of allegation, and ensuring that the guilty are punished, should build up an atmosphere where the possibilities of corruption are minimized. In all such cases there is also a need of exercising caution.

Till the time probe is complete and any conclusive statement comes from the anti-corruption bureau we shouldn’t declare anyone guilty. Let the law take its own course, and let the government simultaneously work on rooting out the corruption in a systemic manner.