Jorhat, July 10: Dispur has asked deputy commissioners to lodge FIRs in police stations against contractors if any magisterial probe finds the allegations of sub-standard work in construction of bridges and roads to be true.

In a recent directive from the chief minister's office, issued by the secretary for home and political departments and secretary to the chief minister, S.S. Meenakshi Sundaram, the DCs have been asked to seriously look into complaints of damages caused to roads and bridges owing to sub-standard work.

The directive stated the instructions have been given according to the order of the additional chief secretary M.G.V.K. Bhanu.

The directive asked the official to institute magisterial inquiry into complaints received about poor quality of work or use of inferior materials in construction of roads and bridges. The DCs have been asked to look into damages caused to such projects within a very short period.

The letter said if any magisterial probe found truth in the allegations of poor quality work or use of sub-standard materials then the concerned DC should file an FIR against the contractor involved in the project for "criminal negligence".

The directive said if any magisterial probe indicts a government engineer colluding with a contractor and allowed the use of sub-standard construction materials resulting in damage to a road or bridge, then appropriate action against the official and others, if any, should be recommended to the government.

Sundaram today told The Telegraph over phone from Guwahati that the government was taking a tough stand on corruption. "There will be no comprise on it (corruption and financial irregularity) with chief minister Tarun Gogoi giving clear instructions to officials to initiate legal action in this regard."

He said the deputy commissioners have been asked to submit report on action taken on complaints regarding irregularities occurring in construction projects and if any cases were filed.

In the same directive, Sundaram has asked them to direct the respective district treasury officer to cut one day's salary if the head of any government department went outside the district headquarters without the permission of the deputy commissioner.

The directive said such action will be based on "no work-no pay principle" and the official's absence will be assumed illegal.

Official sources said since floods affected over 15 districts last month and the possibility of recurrence of floods was very high, the state government had warned senior district officials of the departments so their unauthorised absence does not create problems in relief and rescue work.

The government's move has political significance with the Assembly elections slated for next year in which the ruling Congress will try for a fourth consecutive tenure. The Opposition BJP has been targeting the Tarun Gogoi-led government of large-scale corruption and misgovernance.

Congress sources said a surging BJP, which gave the Congress the jitters during Lok Sabha polls last year by making the ruling party bite dust and also being able to gain control of a majority of boards and town committees in civic polls, has made the government take a proactive stand.